A watch officer on duty fell asleep, leading to a cargo ship's grounding incident in a residential garden. Investigations are ongoing regarding compliance with maritime safety standards.**
**Watch Officer Asleep During Container Ship Garden Crash, Authorities Confirm**
**Watch Officer Asleep During Container Ship Garden Crash, Authorities Confirm**
**A Ukrainian officer faces charges after a container ship ran aground in Norway, narrowly missing a home.**
The watch officer responsible for a large container ship that crashed into a garden in Norway confirmed to authorities that he was asleep when the incident occurred. The incident took place on Thursday in Byneset, near Trondheim, where the 135-meter vessel, named the NCL Salten, ran aground just meters from a local residence.
The officer, a Ukrainian man in his thirties, has been charged with negligent navigation. Police are probing whether the crew adhered to the regulations concerning working and rest hours, as the ship had 16 crew members aboard. Reports indicate that the officer was at the helm and failed to adjust the ship's course while entering the Trondheim Fjord. Fortunately, there were no injuries reported as a result of the grounding.
A spokesperson from Trøndelag Police District confirmed, “The individual charged was the officer on watch at the time of the incident,” adding that his admission of falling asleep led to the mishap. Efforts to refloat the stranded vessel have yet to succeed.
The logistics company NCL, responsible for chartering the ship, issued a statement recognizing the incident as serious but expressing relief that no one was harmed. They emphasized that ensuring a safe salvage operation is their highest priority and are collaborating with the police during the investigation.
Witnesses recounted their bewilderment as they observed the ship in the garden. Johan Helberg, who resides at the property that the ship nearly struck, recalled looking out his window in disbelief. "I had to bend my neck to see the top of it. It was so unreal," he stated, noting that the ship was about five meters from crashing into his bedroom.
A panicked neighbor alerted him to the ship's approach, describing the frightening moment when his father screamed upon witnessing the vessel’s trajectory. Reports indicate that the ship had a prior incident of running aground earlier in 2023 when it was successfully freed.
The bizarre nature of the crash has left local residents in shock, as they grapple with the surreal sight of a massive cargo ship now sitting in a garden.
