A bizarre incident unfolded earlier today in Byneset, Norway, when a man named Johan Helberg found himself face-to-face with a massive 135-meter-long (443-ft) container ship that had run aground in his front garden. The incident occurred at around 05:00 local time (03:00 GMT), as Helberg was jolted awake by the panic of his neighbor, Jostein Jorgensen, who had observed the ship charging toward land at full speed.
"I was sure he must have been outside," Jorgensen recalled of Helberg's absence, explaining how he rang the doorbell multiple times before resorting to phone calls to awaken his friend. Helberg, stunned by the sight, described the scene to a local television channel: “I had to bend my neck to see the top of it. It was so unreal.”
The runaway ship, identified as the Cypriot-flagged NCL Salten, was en route to Orkanger while navigating the Trondheim Fjord. Remarkably, there were 16 crew members aboard, but no injuries were reported. Authorities are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the crash, though it remains unclear what led to the vessel's deviation from its course.
Reflecting on his unexpected new “neighbor,” Helberg humorously remarked, “It's a very bulky new neighbor but it will soon go away.” Interestingly, the NCL Salten had a history of grounding in 2023 but managed to free itself successfully at the time. As investigations continue, local residents are left to marvel at this unusual maritime mishap.
