As the incident took place on May 23, 2025, in Norway, the vessel came which had the Cypriot flag to a halt just meters from a residential property, sparking widespread attention and raising concerns over maritime safety
The grounding occurred early in the morning with 16 crew members onboard. No injuries or environmental pollution were reported. The ship’s bow stopped approximately 7 meters from a private home. Local resident Johan Helberg, who lives in the house closest to the incident, was reportedly still asleep when the vessel grounded.
Neighbor Jostein Jørgensen told local media he attempted to alert the crew by waving and whistling, but the vessel continued drifting until it struck land.
This incident marks the fourth recorded issue involving NCL SALTEN in less than three years. Previous events include groundings in Hadsel (2023) and Ålesund (2024), as well as a technical drift-off near Stavanger in 2023.
Local authorities confirmed that intoxication has been ruled out. The officer on bridge duty is under standard investigation procedures. Initial salvage operations have failed, and another refloat attempt is scheduled for the next high tide.
Photos and videos showing the vessel lodged near a residential garden have since circulated widely online. While no casualties occurred, the repeated incidents involving the same vessel raise concerns over operational safety, navigation systems, and risk management procedures.
As maritime traffic increases near populated coastal areas, the industry continues to emphasize the importance of navigational accuracy and system redundancy to prevent similar events in the future.
