Passengers airlifted from crippled cruise ship in storm off Norway

[rooster59]

Passengers airlifted from crippled cruise ship in storm off Norway

By Terje Solsvik and Gwladys Fouche

 

A cruise ship Viking Sky drifts towards land after an engine failure, Hustadvika, Norway March 23, 2019. Frank Einar Vatne/NTB Scanpix/via REUTERS

 

OSLO (Reuters) - Rescue helicopters evacuated more than 150 people from a luxury cruise ship which suffered engine failure on Saturday in stormy weather off the west coast of Norway, police and rescue workers said.

 

The maritime rescue service said the Viking Sky, with 1,373 passengers and crew on board, had sent out a mayday signal as it had been drifting towards land in the Norwegian Sea.

 

The ship was carrying 915 passengers, of which "a large number" were from the United States and Britain, the rescue service said, although it declined to be more specific.

 

The crew was able to restart one of the ship's four engines and the vessel was at anchor about 2 km (1.24 miles) from land and the passengers were considered safe although the evacuation was set to continue throughout the night.

 

Some 155 people had been evacuated by 2140 GMT, rescue service spokesman Per Fjeld said.

 

The sea was very rough and eight of those pulled from the ship had suffered injuries, with three of those considered severe, public broadcaster NRK reported, quoting unnamed sources.

 

Passengers were hoisted one-by-one from the deck of the vessel and airlifted to a village just north of the town of Molde on Norway's west coast.

 

Cruise passengers described the moment when the ship's engines stopped, and the evacuation that followed.

 

"We were having lunch when it began to shake. Window panes were broken and water came in. It was just chaos. The trip on the helicopter, I would rather forget. It was not fun," American passenger John Curry told public broadcaster NRK.

 

Images and film posted by passengers on social media showed furniture sliding around as the vessel drifted in waves of up to eight metres (26 feet).

 

"Our first priority was for the safety and wellbeing of our passengers and our crew, and in close cooperation with the Norwegian Coast Guard, the captain decided to evacuate all guests from the vessel by helicopter," Viking Cruises said in a statement to Reuters.

 

"The evacuation is proceeding with all necessary caution," the company added. "Guests are being accommodated in local hotels when they arrive back on shore, and Viking will arrange for return flights for all guests."

 

A second vessel, a freighter with a crew of nine, was also being evacuated nearby after suffering engine failure, diverting helicopters and thus delaying the cruise ship airlift, the rescue centre added.

 

Two purpose-built vessels operated by the Norwegian Society for Sea Rescue had been forced to turn back due to the severe weather, the service said.

 

The wind was blowing at 24 metres per second (86 kph/54 mph), according to the Norwegian Meteorological Institute, and the storm was expected to last at least until midnight local time (2300 GMT).

 

The stretch of water known as Hustadvika and surrounding areas are known for fierce weather and shallow waters dotted with reefs.

 

Norway is considering safety improvements for those travelling along its extensive coastline, including preliminary plans for a giant ocean tunnel through a mountain near the spot where the Viking Sky had halted.

 

Built in 2017, the ship belongs to Viking Ocean Cruises, part of the Viking Cruises group founded by Norwegian billionaire Torstein Hagen.

 

Several vessels and four helicopters took part in the rescue and facilities to receive passengers have been set up on land, the rescue service said.

 

All search and rescue teams in the region are mobilising, including 60 volunteers from the Norwegian Red Cross, a spokesman said.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-03-23

 

 

[Tug]

God I hope they don’t have any flooding those things are unstable under the best of conditions un powered and unstable not good and they know it otherwise they wouldn’t attempt evacuation under those conditions I’m keeping my fingers crossed hoping for the best

[Lucius verus]

They're building these things bigger and bigger and packing more and more human cattle and sheeple into them. Imagine if a contagious virus was spread by one of the el cheapo  staff they recruit on their journeys.The ship would become a floating morgue. These jugernaughts look the same as the live sheep carriers that take thousands of hapless creatures from OZ to Saudi Arabia for slaughter.

Not for me.

[Tug]

Lucius I’m (onboard)with your comment on the contagion issue I’m more concerned about stability those ships are top heavy it doesent take that much water in her bilges to make her unstable they lost a car ferry in the Middle East about 10 yrs back killed 1500 people and believe me they would not attempt evacuation under those conditions if they felt they had a choice

[lannarebirth]

1 hour ago, Tug said:

God I hope they don’t have any flooding those things are unstable under the best of conditions un powered and unstable not good and they know it otherwise they wouldn’t attempt evacuation under those conditions I’m keeping my fingers crossed hoping for the best

What makes you think that the ship is unstable? The main problem with cruise ships is their "sail area", the large number of decks, mostly empty that cause strong winds to be a problem. It's notgoing to capsize the ship though. As long as the anchors hold it doesn't much matter if they are 100m offshore or 100 miles. What they need is a tug, which I guess is enroute.

[melvinmelvin]

Hustadvika is one of 3 areas along the Norwegian coast where the seas can get WILD rapidly.

 

Sounds rather odd though, 4 out of 4 engines failing.

 

[lannarebirth]

7 minutes ago, melvinmelvin said:

Hustadvika is one of 3 areas along the Norwegian coast where the seas can get WILD rapidly.

 

Sounds rather odd though, 4 out of 4 engines failing.

 

Noing nothing else of the matter, One might first suspect fuel quality or fuel pumps.

[Tug]

27 minutes ago, lannarebirth said:

What makes you think that the ship is unstable? The main problem with cruise ships is their "sail area", the large number of decks, mostly empty that cause strong winds to be a problem. It's notgoing to capsize the ship though. As long as the anchors hold it doesn't much matter if they are 100m offshore or 100 miles. What they need is a tug, which I guess is enroute.

What makes me think they are unstable?i am a liscenced captian,I was commercial diver for 34 years till I got to old and I was raised on a large sailing vessel I have a surperb eye for seaworthiness I’ve spent my life on and under it they are tall narrow for their leingth and fairly shallow draft they do pass stability tests but anything ontoward affect them in a hurry keep your fingers crossed they would not abandon in those conditions unless there is grave danger

[NCC1701A]

3 hours ago, rooster59 said:

Passengers were hoisted one-by-one from the deck of the vessel and airlifted to a village

god i wish they had this in Hua Hin. I would be the first to be lifted out of this giant landlocked cruise ship. 

 

 

[lannarebirth]

37 minutes ago, Tug said:

What makes me think they are unstable?i am a liscenced captian,I was commercial diver for 34 years till I got to old and I was raised on a large sailing vessel I have a surperb eye for seaworthiness I’ve spent my life on and under it they are tall narrow for their leingth and fairly shallow draft they do pass stability tests but anything ontoward affect them in a hurry keep your fingers crossed they would not abandon in those conditions unless there is grave danger

 

I am a licensed Master Mariner,Oceans, Steam or Motor, Any Gross Tonnage, as well, if that's what you are. Tell me about all the cruise ships you are aware of that have capsized without having run aground first.

[Tug]

The Estonia for starters that one in Korea that killed all those high school kids I can’t think of the name of the ship in the Middle East but I do rember reading about they had a fire aboard the water used to fight the fire made her unstable causing her loss btw why do you think they would abandon in those conditions the Estonia also carried cars trucks and passengers similar top heavy design I looked up that accident her name was ms al salam Boccaccio 98 it happened in 2006 loss of approximately 1000 lives

[lannarebirth]

33 minutes ago, Tug said:

The Estonia for starters that one in Korea that killed all those high school kids I can’t think of the name of the ship in the Middle East but I do rember reading about they had a fire aboard the water used to fight the fire made her unstable causing her loss btw why do you think they would abandon in those conditions the Estonia also carried cars trucks and passengers similar top heavy design I looked up that accident her name was ms al salam Boccaccio 98 it happened in 2006 loss of approximately 1000 lives

 

The Estonia was not a cruise ship, it was a ferry which had bow doors that became not watertight in a storm, but not a particularly singular storm in the Balitc. It flooded.  The Korean ship was overloaded and also a ferry.

[VocalNeal]

I'm struggling to understand how a diesel electric cruise ship can have engine failure. It has four engines. 

 

Also more than one propulsion motor. 

 

Even if someone forgot the transfer fuel to a day tank that would probably only have been for one engine.

 

We will never know.

 

 

[Tug]

29 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

I'm struggling to understand how a diesel electric cruise ship can have engine failure. It has four engines. 

 

Also more than one propulsion motor. 

 

Even if someone forgot the transfer fuel to a day tank that would probably only have been for one engine.

 

We will never know.

 

 

In a nut shell probably bad fuel and for lannarebirth toro ferry’s are a very similar top heavy design

[seahorse]

3 hours ago, lannarebirth said:

What they need is a tug

No need for smut.

2 hours ago, Tug said:

I have a surperb eye for seaworthiness

And modest with it. 

 

2 hours ago, lannarebirth said:

 

I am a licensed Master Mariner,Oceans, Steam or Motor, Any Gross Tonnage

Checkmate. 

[BritManToo]

How can four engines all fail at the same time?

[lannarebirth]

40 minutes ago, Tug said:

In a nut shell probably bad fuel and for lannarebirth toro ferry’s are a very similar top heavy design

I'm not sure what toro means but I'm gonna guess you mean RORO which mean roll on roll off, which is the chief characreistic of a ferry. That, and that it's got a huge hole in its hull as part of its design. 

[Tug]

Ro ro is correct they are a very simalr design btw the correct term is master unlimited all oceans I just have the little 1600 ton oceans with the towing endorsement fair winds and following seas

[MaksimMislavsky]

34 minutes ago, Tug said:

Ro ro is correct they are a very simalr design

Yes, quite a few ro-ros in Scandinavia double as cruise ships (or vice versa) and have more than one vehicle carrying decks. Silja Line and Viking Line for example. They look and feel exactly like large cruise liners with all the amenities.

[lannarebirth]

1 minute ago, MaksimMislavsky said:

 They look and feel exactly like large cruise liners with all the amenities.

Except for the giant hole in the hull. Duh!

[soalbundy]

A great holiday !  nothing boring here, they will have something to talk about for years to come. Look at it in a positive way, it's a great adventure and probably with a money back guarantee.

[RPCVguy]

A CNN version of this story reported "minor injuries" ... ???? BS! At least one wave rocked the ship enough to throw passengers about, and the ship was nearly thrown into rocks but they stabilized it.
A friend has relatives among those evacuated. One was struck in the neck by loose equipment and after getting evacuated to shore had to be airlifted to a 2nd hospital for surgery - to fuse three neck vertebra (leaving him unable hereafter to turn his head) ... The wife of that man is elsewhere being treated for hypothermia, and their friend was struck hard enough to break ribs, puncture a lung and he's lost a kidney.
It could be my friend's family were the most unlucky of those on-board OR the news being released is soft peddling the issue - big time.

[soalbundy]

2 minutes ago, RPCVguy said:

A CNN version of this story reported "minor injuries" ... ???? BS! At least one wave rocked the ship enough to throw passengers about, and the ship was nearly thrown into rocks but they stabilized it.
A friend has relatives among those evacuated. One was struck in the neck by loose equipment and after getting evacuated to shore had to be airlifted to a 2nd hospital for surgery - to fuse three neck vertebra (leaving him unable hereafter to turn his head) ... The wife of that man is elsewhere being treated for hypothermia, and their friend was struck hard enough to break ribs, puncture a lung and he's lost a kidney.
It could be my friend's family were the most unlucky of those on-board OR the news being released is soft peddling the issue - big time.

Just think of the compensation money due + the 'psychological' damage, the 'panic attacks' whenever I see water, must be worth a packet.

[lannarebirth]

8 minutes ago, RPCVguy said:

A CNN version of this story reported "minor injuries" ... ???? BS! At least one wave rocked the ship enough to throw passengers about, and the ship was nearly thrown into rocks but they stabilized it.
A friend has relatives among those evacuated. One was struck in the neck by loose equipment and after getting evacuated to shore had to be airlifted to a 2nd hospital for surgery - to fuse three neck vertebra (leaving him unable hereafter to turn his head) ... The wife of that man is elsewhere being treated for hypothermia, and their friend was struck hard enough to break ribs, puncture a lung and he's lost a kidney.
It could be my friend's family were the most unlucky of those on-board OR the news being released is soft peddling the issue - big time.

 

Stability has nothing to do with getting thrown into the rocks. Stability has to do with keeping a ship from capsizing. Things that will keep the ship from getting thrown into the rocks will be its ability to make way through propulsion, having steerage, and the anchors holding.

[melvinmelvin]

1 hour ago, lannarebirth said:

 

Stability has nothing to do with getting thrown into the rocks. Stability has to do with keeping a ship from capsizing. Things that will keep the ship from getting thrown into the rocks will be its ability to make way through propulsion, having steerage, and the anchors holding.

+windage

 

[cryo]

The tug issue always comes to the fore as once the captain gives permission for a tow out in such conditions the laws of salvage come into play which means the tow can be very costly so permission is always delayed by the owners. Do any of these ships carry out possible safety scenarios when cruising in such areas where condition's can change so quickly? I suspect that they have changed to a new fuel tank which has contaminated the main fuel line requiring a total flushing of the system which is not a easy or quick job even in good conditions and if this is the case there will be a very expensive bill for the fuel supplier as the line will pass all costs/claim's on to the fuel supplier. I can see no other reason why a multi engine ship would flounder as there are so many back up systems.      

[Inderpland]

25 minutes ago, cryo said:

The tug issue always comes to the fore as once the captain gives permission for a tow out in such conditions the laws of salvage come into play which means the tow can be very costly so permission is always delayed by the owners. Do any of these ships carry out possible safety scenarios when cruising in such areas where condition's can change so quickly? I suspect that they have changed to a new fuel tank which has contaminated the main fuel line requiring a total flushing of the system which is not a easy or quick job even in good conditions and if this is the case there will be a very expensive bill for the fuel supplier as the line will pass all costs/claim's on to the fuel supplier. I can see no other reason why a multi engine ship would flounder as there are so many back up systems.      

I find that hard to believe. After every bunkering operation a fuel sample is sent off to a certified company for analysis and new fuel is never introduced into the propulsion system without the result of the analysis being known.

[Pilotman]

You would have to drug and sedate me to get me on a cruise ship with 2,000 other people.  I can't imagine a more horrific 'holiday' than sharing it with thousands of people I don't know, and don't want to know,  in a floating prison. 

[NanLaew]

7 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

You would have to drug and sedate me to get me on a cruise ship with 2,000 other people.  I can't imagine a more horrific 'holiday' than sharing it with thousands of people I don't know, and don't want to know,  in a floating prison. 

Kinda like TV without the keyboard, mouse, LCD and Mods.

[Thaifish]

The fuel would not be released from the refinery unless it meets the proper fuel specs or the Bunker Delivery Reciept is noted that the fuel is off spec. The Chief Engineer is provided with a copy of the fuel specs before bunkering. Europe has a reputation of quality fuel unlike Asia. That's reflected in price too. I'm guessing she "Viking Sky" is running on HFO 180cst which has a low pour point as apposed to a cheaper 380cst fuel which is cheaper but thicker. The fuel is heated to lower the viscosity and go through scrubbers before entering the Main Engine. If there is an issue with fuel then the CE can swap over to his generator fuel supply which would be MDO. Marine Diesel Oil. If there was a problem with fuel then there would be more than one ship floating around out there.

 

You can follow the ships progress live via Automatic Identification System and look at past track intended track on this link.. Note she has an Offshore Tug in attendance.

https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:5.4/centery:61.9/zoom:7

 

Type in "Viking Sky" in the field box top right corner to locate her... You can see her path has been quite erratic.

 

As far as stability is concerned she must meet the criteria as set down by the International Maritime Organization.. Her marks or plimsoll line will show which class she comes under to keep her certificate of Class.