Ship Watch Officer Falls Asleep, Causing Crash into Norwegian Garden

The watch officer of a large container vessel that crashed into a garden in Byneset, Norway, has reported to police that he fell asleep while on duty, leading to the accident. The Ukrainian officer, in his thirties, has been charged with negligent navigation as authorities probe whether proper work and rest guidelines were followed aboard the ship. The 135-meter long container ship, NCL Salten, missed a nearby house by mere meters after it veered off course early Thursday morning while navigating the Trondheim Fjord. So far, efforts to refloat the grounded vessel have not succeeded. Kjetil Bruland Sørensen, a prosecutor from the Trøndelag Police District, explained that the watch officer admitted during questioning that he was asleep when the vessel ran aground. Reports indicate that he was responsible for steering the ship and failed to alter its trajectory. Thankfully, there were no injuries reported among the 16 crew members onboard.Logistics company NCL, which charters the ship, deemed the event a "serious incident" but expressed relief that no one was hurt. A spokesperson clarified that they are cooperating fully with police during the ongoing investigation. Local resident Johan Helberg recounted the shock he experienced upon spotting the ship in his front garden, noting it was a surreal sight that came alarmingly close to his home. "It was so unreal," he stated after being alerted by a neighbor. Helberg added that the ship's proximity to his bedroom window was only about five meters, making the incident all the more frightening. Meanwhile, his neighbor's son described the scene as "terrifying," recalling his father’s panicked reaction as the ship approached. Interestingly, the NCL Salten had a previous grounding incident earlier in 2023, from which the crew managed to recover the vessel using its own power. Currently, efforts are underway to ensure the safe removal of the ship from the garden.