Latest news with #JohanHelberg
Sunday World
10 hours ago
- General
- Sunday World
Probe reveals why massive cargo ship ran aground in Norway, narrowly missing man's house
In an incident that made headlines around the world, the 135-metre cargo vessel, the NCL Salten, ran shore just before 5am on Thursday The view from the window of Helberg's house of the ship in his garden Johan Helberg spoke of the 'unreal' moment he went out into his garden to see the ship's bow rearing up into the sky An investigation has revealed the reason why a massive container ship ran aground in Norway, narrowly missing one man's house. In an incident that made headlines around the world, the 135-metre cargo vessel, the NCL Salten beached just before 5am on Thursday after entering the Trondheim fjord on its way to the western town of Orkanger. Local man, Johan Helberg, spoke of the 'unreal' moment he went out into his garden to see the ship's bow rearing up into the sky. 'I went to the window and was quite astonished to see a big ship,' Helberg told the Guardian. 'I had to bend my neck to see the top of it. It was so unreal.' The view from the window of Helberg's house of the ship in his garden The ship's second officer, who has admitted to having fallen asleep just before the incident, has been charged with negligence in connection with the incident. However, he has since claimed that the bridge alarms had been switched off before the ship grounded. This has been confirmed by Norwegian authorities who launched an investigation to determine the events that led up to the incident. They have established that the navigation watch alarm system (BNWAS) on the ship was already switched off by the time it came ashore. A local newspaper, NRK, has reported that an official with the Norwegian Maritime Authority (NMA) said the grounding could have been avoided if the BNWAS had been switched on. The ship remained stuck aground on Thursday after the first attempt to remove it was unsuccessful but it has since been refloated and towed to Orkanger. Local authorities have determined that none of the local houses were damaged and that no injuries or oil spills occurred as a result of the mishap. An astonished neighbour recalled watching the ship, which was travelling at about 16 knots (approximately 30kmh), heading straight for the shore into Helberg's garden, narrowly missing his house. Helberg, who lives in Byneset, near Trondheim, slept through the entire drama and only awoke when his neighbour rang his doorbell. Johan Helberg spoke of the 'unreal' moment he went out into his garden to see the ship's bow rearing up into the sky News in 90 Seconds - May 31st 'Normally ships turn left or right into the fjord. But this went straight ahead,' Helberg, who has lived in the house for 25 years, added. 'It was very close to the house.' North Sea Container Line, the operator of NCL Salten, has confirmed that it is cooperating in the investigation into the mishap. NCL's chief executive, Bente Hetland, said there was 'no reason to believe this was intentional'. 'Incidents like this should not happen, and we have started an investigation into the causes. Today, we are relieved that there were no injuries, and our main focus is on the people near the ship and our crew,' she added.
The Australian
2 days ago
- Business
- The Australian
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. nzg/jll/jm
Daily Tribune
3 days ago
- Daily Tribune
Ship pulled free after running aground near Norway home
AFP | Oslo Salvagers yesterday 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.
CBC
4 days ago
- General
- CBC
Cargo ship towed away from Norway home it nearly struck
A cargo ship that ran aground in a Norwegian fiord and narrowly missed a house was pulled back into open water and was being towed to a nearby harbour on Tuesday — five days after the spectacular accident. A tugboat hauled and refloated the NCL Salten off the shore of the Trondheim Fiord on Tuesday morning. The ship was pulled away from the spot where it ran aground in Byneset at about 10:30 a.m. local time on Tuesday, according to a statement that NCL, the shipping company, posted online. The vessel was being taken to the nearby harbour of Orkanger. Norwegian broadcaster NRK quoted Ole T. Bjørnevik, the general manager of the tugboat company tasked with the refloating operation, as saying that it "went better than expected." A memorable event For Johan Helberg, the man whose home was nearly hit by the cargo ship, the past few days were something to behold — and to remember. "I doubt I'll ever experience anything quite like this again," he told Norway's TV2. "I wouldn't have traded this experience for anything." WATCH | The NCL Salten returns to sea: See the refloating of a cargo ship that ran aground in Norway 7 hours ago Duration 0:39 A container ship that ran around in Norwegian homeowner Johan Helberg's yard last week has been refloated. 'I doubt I'll ever experience anything quite like this again.' Containers had been unloaded from the ship ahead of the refloating. The ship ran aground early last Thursday. No oil spills were reported, and none of the 16 people aboard was injured. The on-duty navigator, the ship's second officer, has been charged with negligent navigation after he allegedly fell asleep on duty.
CBC
4 days ago
- General
- CBC
See the refloating of a cargo ship that ran aground in Norway
A container ship that ran around in Norwegian homeowner Johan Helberg's yard last week has been refloated. 'I doubt I'll ever experience anything quite like this again.'
