Viking Sky came within ‘ship’s length’ of running aground

Tuesday, 18 Nov, 2019 0

Viking Ocean Cruises’ ship Viking Sky came within a ‘ship’s length’ of running aground after getting into difficulties during a violent storm off the Norwegian coast earlier this year.

Officials from Norway’s Accident Investigation Board have reported a low level of lubricating oil in the Viking Sky caused all three engines in the ship to shut down in March.

Loss of engine power caused a blackout and the vessel lost propulsion, with the low oil levels being complicated by the pitching and rolling of the ship in rough seas near Hustadvika.

The report found oil levels were at least 30% lower than recommended.

Officials said Viking Sky came within a ‘ship’s length’ of running aground during the March incident. At the time, the vessel was carrying 915 passengers and 458 crew members.

The captain had dropped both anchors and broadcast a mayday signal that triggered the emergency alarm, but Viking Sky continued to drift toward the shore.

Eventually, the emergency diesel generator started and crew members shifted enough oil to the engines to maneuver the ship toward open waters with both anchors still lowered.

Rescue teams then began evacuated 479 passengers by helicopter. The remaining passengers and crew stayed on board until it returned to port.

The next sailing of Viking Sky had to be cancelled.

below social share icons

Lisa

Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.

It’s easy to find perfection in Santa Barbara, but what if there was even more of your favorite finds, activities,...

We make travel accessible for everyone We believe everyone should be free to experience the world. For us, there’s no...

STA was established to support the growth of the travel and tourism sector by serving the needs of tourism companies...

Babble is a leading technology business that is reimagining how we do work. Founded in 2001, the company works with...

Classic Collection is where travel expertise and personal service combine to create the perfect luxury holiday. Our travel agent partners...

Why choose Titan Travel? There are some great travel companies out there – so why Titan? Well, we’re one of...

From the Tel Aviv beach scene to the shores of the Dead Sea, Israel layers diverse cultures, outdoor adventures, and...

Blue Diamond Resorts consistently goes above and beyond guest expectations by delivering groundbreaking vacation experiences through our exceptional collection of...

ECOMMPAY is an international payment service provider and direct bank card acquirer, engineering bespoke payment solutions for clients worldwide. Our...

Family-owned Olympic Holidays has been arranging holidays to Greece, the Greek islands and Cyprus for more than half century. The company is unrivalled...