Man wakes up to find a giant cargo ship in his yard
It certainly was a rude awakening.
Johan Helberg was fast asleep last week when a huge container ship crashed into his garden, narrowly missing his home on the bank of Norway's Trondheim Fjord.
'I went to the window and was quite astonished to see a big ship,' Helberg told the Norwegian broadcaster TV2, adding, 'I had to bend my neck to see the top of it. It was so unreal.'
The 135m long NCL Salten was sailing to the western city of Orkanger when it went off course and ran aground in Helberg's yard.
Just a few feet 'further south, and it would have entered the bedroom,' Helberg said in a separate interview with NRK, Norway's public broadcaster.
He added that he was only alerted to the commotion by his neighbor Jostein Jorgensen, who was startled awake by the sound of the ship as it raced toward the shore.
'I was sure that he was already outside but no, there was no sign of life. I rang the doorbell many times and nothing,' Jorgensen told TV2. 'It was only when I called him on the phone that I managed to contact him,' he added.
Norwegian police are investigating what caused the incident and have identified one suspect on board, a spokesperson for Trøndelag police district told NRK.
There were no reports of injuries or oil spills.
The North Sea Container Line (NCL), the shipping company that chartered the ship, said in a press release that a rescue operation was ongoing, adding that its highest priority was to ensure a safe and secure salvage operation.
'We are grateful that no one was injured in connection with yesterday's grounding, and that everyone is safe — both on land where the ship grounded and on board,' it said.
'We are aware of the police stating that they have one suspect, and we continue to assist the police and authorities in their ongoing investigation,' it added. 'We are also conducting internal inquiries but prefer not to speculate further.'
An initial attempt by the Norwegian Coastal Administration to pull it back into the sea failed, with subsequent efforts proving more difficult than hoped. Helberg, meanwhile, said that large ships often pass by his home, but they usually stay within the deeper waters of the fjord rather than his yard.
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Salvagers on Tuesday pulled a cargo ship, which made world headlines for running aground a stone's throw from a house in Norway, back into the water, the head of the company managing the operation said. A Ukrainian sailor in his 30s was on watch at the time and said he had fallen asleep, according to Norwegian police, who have charged him with "negligent navigation". The NCL Salten sailed up onto shore just metres from a wooden house around dawn on Thursday. "It's good to have said hello, but now it's time to say goodbye" the occupant of the house, Johan Helberg, told broadcaster NRK on Tuesday. The containers on the ship, except for those removed to lighten the bow, are still on board and will be unloaded this evening, Ole T. Bjornevik, the managing director of BOA Offshore told AFP, adding that the operation only lasted 30 minutes. "She has just been refloated," and an inspection is underway, he added. The Ukrainian seaman has said none of the cargo ship's collision alarms had worked, prosecutor Kjetil Bruland Sorensen told news agency NTB. The investigation will also look into whether the rules on working hours and rest periods were adhered to on ship, according to police. Helberg, also slept through the incident and only discovered the unexpected visitor when a panicked neighbour called him on the phone. None of the 16 crew members were injured. nzg/jll/jm
News.com.au
6 days ago
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Ship pulled free after running aground near Norway home
Salvagers on Tuesday pulled a cargo ship, which made world headlines for running aground a stone's throw from a house in Norway, back into the water, the head of the company managing the operation said. A Ukrainian sailor in his 30s was on watch at the time and said he had fallen asleep, according to Norwegian police, who have charged him with "negligent navigation". The NCL Salten sailed up onto shore just metres from a wooden house around dawn on Thursday. "It's good to have said hello, but now it's time to say goodbye" the occupant of the house, Johan Helberg, told broadcaster NRK on Tuesday. The containers on the ship, except for those removed to lighten the bow, are still on board and will be unloaded this evening, Ole T. Bjornevik, the managing director of BOA Offshore told AFP, adding that the operation only lasted 30 minutes. "She has just been refloated," and an inspection is underway, he added. The Ukrainian seaman has said none of the cargo ship's collision alarms had worked, prosecutor Kjetil Bruland Sorensen told news agency NTB. The investigation will also look into whether the rules on working hours and rest periods were adhered to on ship, according to police. Helberg, also slept through the incident and only discovered the unexpected visitor when a panicked neighbour called him on the phone. None of the 16 crew members were injured.
7NEWS
25-05-2025
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Man wakes up to find a giant cargo ship in his yard
It certainly was a rude awakening. Johan Helberg was fast asleep last week when a huge container ship crashed into his garden, narrowly missing his home on the bank of Norway's Trondheim Fjord. 'I went to the window and was quite astonished to see a big ship,' Helberg told the Norwegian broadcaster TV2, adding, 'I had to bend my neck to see the top of it. It was so unreal.' The 135m long NCL Salten was sailing to the western city of Orkanger when it went off course and ran aground in Helberg's yard. Just a few feet 'further south, and it would have entered the bedroom,' Helberg said in a separate interview with NRK, Norway's public broadcaster. He added that he was only alerted to the commotion by his neighbor Jostein Jorgensen, who was startled awake by the sound of the ship as it raced toward the shore. 'I was sure that he was already outside but no, there was no sign of life. I rang the doorbell many times and nothing,' Jorgensen told TV2. 'It was only when I called him on the phone that I managed to contact him,' he added. Norwegian police are investigating what caused the incident and have identified one suspect on board, a spokesperson for Trøndelag police district told NRK. There were no reports of injuries or oil spills. The North Sea Container Line (NCL), the shipping company that chartered the ship, said in a press release that a rescue operation was ongoing, adding that its highest priority was to ensure a safe and secure salvage operation. 'We are grateful that no one was injured in connection with yesterday's grounding, and that everyone is safe — both on land where the ship grounded and on board,' it said. 'We are aware of the police stating that they have one suspect, and we continue to assist the police and authorities in their ongoing investigation,' it added. 'We are also conducting internal inquiries but prefer not to speculate further.' An initial attempt by the Norwegian Coastal Administration to pull it back into the sea failed, with subsequent efforts proving more difficult than hoped. Helberg, meanwhile, said that large ships often pass by his home, but they usually stay within the deeper waters of the fjord rather than his yard.
