London, May 23
A Norwegian man had a narrow escape as a huge container ship ran aground onto his garden, missing his bedroom where he was sleeping by scant metres, reports said on Friday.
The incident occurred in Byneset, near Trondheim city, and Johan Helberg was asleep throughout the arrival of his unexpected visitor - the 135-metre, Cypriot-flagged cargo ship, the NCL Salten.
Helberg only woke to find the ship when his neighbour, who had witnessed the ship heading for the shore, rushed to his house to alert him, the BBC reported.
"The doorbell rang at a time of day when I don't like to open," Helberg told Norwegian television channel TV 2.
He said that he went to the window and "was quite astonished to see a big ship, adding that he had to bend his neck to see its top.
Five metres further south and it would have entered the bedroom, and "that wouldn't have been particularly pleasant", he said.
"I didn't hear anything," Helbe told the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation, adding that he was told that there had been a loud noise.
Helberg's neighbour, Jostein Jorgensen, said he was woken by the sound of the ship as it headed at full speed towards land - and Helberg's house.
"I was sure that he was already outside, but no, there was no sign of life. I rang the doorbell many times... it was only when I called him on the phone that I managed to contact him," Jorgensen told TV2.
Helberg said that the ship was "a very bulky new neighbour, but it will soon go away."
He said that he was "very excited" to see how the ship would be removed from his garden, adding that it would take a lot of effort.
No one was injured in the incident.
The container vessel had 16 people on board and was travelling south-west through the Trondheim Fjord to Orkanger when it went off course, the BBC reported.
It is not known what caused the crash, and Norwegian police are said to be investigating.
Bente Hetland, the Managing Director of NCL, which had chartered the ship, said it was a "serious incident" and "we are grateful that nobody was injured".
— IANS
Reader Comments
Imagine waking up to a ship in your garden! 😲 This is like something out of a Hollywood movie. Thank God the man is safe. In India, our fishermen would probably try to sell fish from it before the authorities arrived! Jokes aside, Norway's maritime safety needs serious review.
The man's sense of humor is admirable - calling it a "bulky new neighbor"! But this raises serious questions about shipping lane safety. If this can happen in Norway with their strict regulations, imagine the risks in busier Asian waters. Authorities worldwide should take note.
This reminds me of that ship stuck in Suez Canal last year! Global shipping industry seems to be having too many accidents recently. Maybe they need better training for crews and more advanced navigation systems. At least no one was hurt - that's what matters most.
The neighbor who alerted him is the real hero here! In our Indian culture we say "पड़ोसी ही आपका सचà¥à¤šà¤¾ साथी होता है" (neighbors are your true companions). This incident proves it. Hope they share some Norwegian chocolate as thanks! ðŸ«
While this seems funny, imagine if it had hit the house! The shipping company should compensate the homeowner properly - not just for damage but for the trauma. In India we've seen how corporations try to avoid responsibility in such cases.
The article says the ship was Cypriot-flagged but chartered by NCL. This flagships (pun intended) the issue of flags of convenience in global shipping. Maybe time for stricter international regulations? Safety can't be compromised for cost-cutting.
Here are 6 diverse Indian perspective comments for the article: We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.