Near Disaster in Norway: Sleeping Helmsman Almost Crashes 440-Foot Ship Into Cabin

According to reliable sources, a massive 443-foot container ship ran aground in Norway, perilously close to a cabin whose owner was deeply ensconced in slumber. The helmsman of the vessel is believed to have been asleep at the wheel during the incident, as reported in the Norwegian press on Friday.

Reports indicate that only a single individual was on the bridge at the time of the occurrence. This person, responsible for steering the ship, failed to alter course upon entering the Trondheim fjord, an oversight that could have had devastating consequences, according to the news agency NTB.

“Police have procured information from other crew members suggesting that the helmsman was asleep,” police official Kjetil Bruland Sorensen disclosed to NTB. The vessel in question, the NCL Salten, beached itself adjacent to Johan Helberg’s wooden cabin just as the day was breaking on Thursday.

Helberg learned of his unanticipated maritime guest when a frantic neighbor, unable to rouse him by ringing his doorbell, resorted to a phone call. This neighbor, Jostein Jorgensen, was awakened at approximately 5 a.m. by the sounds of a ship hurtling full throttle toward the shore, and promptly sprinted to Helberg’s residence.

TV2 reported that the colossal ship inflicted damage on a heating pipe in Helberg’s cabin, yet the homeowner considers himself fortunate. “If the ship had collided with the rocky cliff adjacent to it, it could have been hoisted upwards and struck the house with significant force. It was a matter of mere meters,” he informed TV2.

Fortunately, none of the 16 crew members aboard the cargo ship suffered injuries, and an investigation into the incident has been initiated by Norwegian police. The NCL shipping group stated on Friday: “We are cognizant of the police identifying a suspect, and we continue to collaborate with the police and authorities in their ongoing investigation. We are also conducting internal inquiries, but prefer not to speculate further.”

Bente Hetland, the CEO of the shipping company, disclosed to TV2 that this was not the NCL Salten’s maiden misadventure. The vessel had previously run aground twice – once in 2023 in Hadsel, and again in 2024 in Ålesund. As of now, attempts to refloat the ship have been unsuccessful, leaving the vast red and green container ship stranded, casting a formidable shadow over the diminutive cabin. It was a narrow escape from disaster in Norway.