LAST CLOCK 02.45: The cruise ship Viking Sky is now on its way westwards and moves at a speed of between 3 and 5 knots. The plan is that two tugboats will assist the cruise ship and by quarter help it to the quay in Molde. The ship is now outside Bud.
- These boats will arrive in the area around 04:00. Dei will try to secure the ship with a tow when it lights up. But weather and wind will be decisive for whether this is possible. High waves can make this difficult. It is therefore too early to say anything about when the ship is possibly in Molde, says Eirik Walle at the Main Rescue Center.
He also says that three helicopters are constantly on the verge of getting passengers from the ship and getting them safely to shore. At 02.30, 229 people had been evacuated.
"The ship has also come further out and the wind has some fun, so we hope the situation is better for those on board," Walle says.
Just after 11pm on Saturday night, the Chief Investigation Board confirms that the cruise ship no has three engines that work and that it goes for their own machine.
- Thus, we have a player room that makes it more stable when it comes to the ship. But, if necessary, all passengers must be evacuated, said press contact in the chief investigator Per Fjeld just after 11 pm.
According to Helse Møre og Romsdal, a total of ten people were injured. The most serious injured is a woman in her 90s and two men in her 70s. These have serious break injuries.
The Central Investigation Center announces at 19.40 that they are driving all personnel on board the cruise ship Viking Sky to be safe.
Demanding evacuation
Quarter of the helicopter that is seen in the action brings up to 15 persons, thus it will take a long time before everyone is the 1300 who were on board evacuated. The passengers aboard the cruise ship are hoisting aboard the helicopter one by one.
This goes in strong storms and in high waves. Weather conditions make it impractical to try to take the passengers ashore using lifeboats or other boats.
- It is a demanding exercise because they have to hang in the air under helicopter and it is very, very strong wind, said augevitne Odd Roar Lange to NRK Saturday afternoon.
One of the
salvage operations of a cargo ship close by was also involved in delaying the evacuation of the cruise passengers.
All those on board the cargo ship Hagland Captain on Hustadvika are now out of the ship. Many of them had to jump into the icy sea before they were rocked.
Nine people pick up from the waves
Rescue action in enriched sea area
Also, according to Einar Knudsen at Hovudredningssentralen, the operation with helicopter is a dramatic work with great risk. At the same time, he emphasizes that it is the best rescue team in the world involved in the operation.
The dramatic rescue operation takes place in the shipping lane between Molde and Kristiansund, an infamous sea area where several ships have gone down earlier. Saturday afternoon the cruise ship with 1300 people fight against the waves just off shore - with only one engine intact.
Previously, there were several shipwrecks in the area, and more will have expressed concern that the cruise ship was out on a stretch last day.
There has also been great interest in the dramatic events, and the police asked earlier on Saturday night that the audience should make room for emergency vehicles and evacuation buses.
- We find that shoe-lashers block the efforts, write the police.
Local government and health services in crisis preparedness
The 229 people who until now have come ashore are transported straight to Brynhallen in Fræna. Most of them are then passed on to Kristiansund, Molde and Ålesund for accommodation.
All municipalities around Fræna are in readiness. Health Møre og Romsdal also has increased preparedness and seen crisis management in AMK.
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We have called in the central crisis staff at AMK, we are organizing our hospitals so that they are ready to accept patients. We have sent helicopters and ambulances, says communications manager Trine Kvalheim.
Dei also manages all spare ambulance cars and is ready to call in more personnel at the hospital in Molde and Kristiansund if needed.
The focus is on getting everyone safe on land
Chairman of Viking Ocean Cruises, Torstein Hagen, arrived late in the evening to Molde. There he talked to evacuated passengers from the cruise ship.
Torstein Hagen, board manager in Viking Ocean Cruises, came to Molde on Saturday night.
Photo: Remi Sagen / NRK
- Dei are very positive about the professional way our crew has dealt with this situation. In such a difficult time, it does happen that they say that situation is a little less bad, says Hagen.
He boasts of Norwegian authorities and all of the rescue crew and volunteers who have helped and thinks the situation is well under control.
- But it is clear that before the whole thing is clear that everyone is safe, either on land or on board the boat, none of us can sleep well.
He does not want to speculate about how this could happen. But say that after quarter they will try to find out what has happened so that the ship loses engine power.
- It is one thing that is important no and it is getting everyone safe on land and I think we are about to do it. But it is clear that this work takes time.
Big strengths in turns
At most, five helicopters participated and one row of vessels in the evacuation. The bad weather led on Saturday afternoon to two rescue boats having to return. They are now in readiness.
The tugboat "Boa Heimdal" from Trondheim is on its way to assist the cruise ship in Hustadvika. The boat will probably not arrive until late on Saturday night. There are several other tugboats that are closer to the cruise ship.
The cruise ship Viking Sky is Norwegian and was built in 2017. The ship was on its way to Stavanger when it got a problem.
On Friday evening, the Central Investigation Center informs that those who have questions about passengers on board can call 1-888-889-8837 for information about guests from the USA or Australia, and 07585 779 853 or 0208 780 7900 for information on passengers from the UK.
A man rides his bike during snowfall at the seaside promenade of Thessaloniki, Greece, January 4, 2019. REUTERS/Alexandros Avramidis
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