Viking incident

[wrk2cruise]

NBC news was reporting this morning that the Tug has arrived and it is assisting the Viking Sky to port.

[jkgourmet]

Update:  479 or 478 passengers were airlifted off the ship.  Remaining passengers are safe on the ship.  20 passengers were injured from the rock and roll on the ship, all have been treated and nearly all have been released from hospital/clinics.

 

the ship is limping to port (I'm not sure where) with one engine operational and assisted by tugboats.

 

Source:  multiple news reports posted in the last 30 minutes.

 

scary - yes.  But let's keep it in perspective.  Your odds of being in a major car accident, plane accident or needing brain surgery are much higher than this.  

Edited March 24, 2019 by jkgourmet

[wrk2cruise]

Deleted my original post as inaccurate.

Edited March 24, 2019 by wrk2cruise

[jkgourmet]

Just now, wrk2cruise said:

Wonder how they transferred passengers to rescue ship in those seas?  Not really important but would like to see.

They didn't.  The passengers still on The ship when they stopped the airlift evacuation will remain safely in the ship until it reaches port.

[Bo1953]

I only saw the posts overnight and did not know or understand the veracity displayed concerning the situation...

 

As such, my breakdown in a fjord was nothing compared to Viking's...

 

Different ship sizes can make a difference as well...

 

I trust everyone will recover and heal to the max...

 

bon voyage

[wrk2cruise]

Too early this morning.  I just read your post wrong.

[yorky]

Just seen a video posted from someone onboard, Jesus that ship was rocking.

[Silkroad]

59 minutes ago, jkgourmet said:

he ship is limping to port (I'm not sure where) with one engine operational and assisted by tugboats.

The last update I saw (Reuters) said they’d gotten three engines started, but still neeeded assistance from tugboats. They’re headed for Molde, and hope to be there by this afternoon.

[Charles4515]

2 hours ago, jkgourmet said:

 

scary - yes.  But let's keep it in perspective.  Your odds of being in a major car accident, plane accident or needing brain surgery are much higher than this.  

 

Viking needs to be held to account. Gale winds and rough seas were forecast. No way should the ship have sailed into that. 

[jkgourmet]

Just now, Charles4515 said:

 

Viking needs to be held to account. Gale winds and rough seas were forecast. No way should the ship have sailed into that. 

 

fair enough.  BUT I still say that being really scared is overreacting. 

[Presto2]

She is now docked and safe in another port in Norway.

[laslomas]

53 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

 

Viking needs to be held to account. Gale winds and rough seas were forecast. No way should the ship have sailed into that. 

 

I know that the weather was predicted, but I think the problem was more to do with loss of power and I have seen no account of why that happened. I have been on transatlantic crossings in similar sea conditions and the ship's stabilisers do a great job of keeping stability. I assume they were not operating in this case due to loss of power.

 

Whatever the cause, I am glad to hear that the ship is now safely in a port and hopefully the injuries are not too many. 

[ebtrip]

We will be sailing the Sky April 6th.  This will be the first cruise after this event.  So glad everyone is safe.. I’ve been on over 45 cruises, and YES, had some  that the weather caused some inconveniences.  This was terrible, but that goodness everyone survived.. this is our 2nd with Viking.. a very different experience from Celebrity..we are fans of both. Hopefully our cruise won’t be cancelled.

[Wine-O]

15 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

She is now docked and safe in another port in Norway.

Maybe passengers will think twice and take Viking river cruises instead in the future.

[Charles4515]

 

I know that the weather was predicted, but I think the problem was more to do with loss of power and I have seen no account of why that happened. I have been on transatlantic crossings in similar sea conditions and the ship's stabilisers do a great job of keeping stability. I assume they were not operating in this case due to loss of power.

 

Whatever the cause, I am glad to hear that the ship is now safely in a port and hopefully the injuries are not too many. 

 

“Hurtigruten held their ships in Bergen and Trondheim, according to Norwegian press reports....”

[MizDemeanor]

1 hour ago, Charles4515 said:

 

Viking needs to be held to account. Gale winds and rough seas were forecast. No way should the ship have sailed into that. 

The NBC news reports from this morning said that this is the toughest stretch of sea....here is more on that aspect.

 

The Viking Sky, operated by Viking Ocean Cruises, was experiencing engine problems, the Norwegian newspaper VG reported. At the time, the cruise ship was also encountering high seas and strong winds, the newspaper said. 

The ship is in Hustadvika bay, an area that, as Reuters reported, is known "for fierce weather" and "shallow waters dotted with reefs."

The Norwegian government is studying whether to "build a giant ocean tunnel through a nearby mountain to improve safety" in the bay, according to the news agency.

[Silkroad]

1 hour ago, Charles4515 said:

 

Viking needs to be held to account. Gale winds and rough seas were forecast. No way should the ship have sailed into that. 

 

I’m certain there will be a full investigation into this incident, so it’s pointless for those of us who weren’t there to assign blame. The Captain and crew seem to have handled the emergency perfectly (according to passengers who were aboard the ship). Thankfully, the passengers and crew are safe on land, and hopefully those who sustained injuries will fully recover.

Edited March 24, 2019 by Silkroad

[Luvcrusn]

17 minutes ago, Silkroad said:

I’m certain there will be a full investigation into this incident, so it’s pointless for those of us who weren’t there to assign blame. The Captain and crew seem to have handled the emergency perfectly (according to passengers who were aboard the ship). Thankfully, the passengers and crew are safe on land, and hopefully those who sustained injuries will fully recover.

Exactly.  Well said. 

[hcat]

Sad for those on board passengers and crew, the injured, the  folks airlifted, those with cancelled res, but so far all survived..good news!

 

Perhaps the only ship that might have handled this better is QM2( just a guess) .It is an ocean liner built  super  strong...versus a cruise ship. We  were  on QM2 trailing a hurricane in the Atlantic and had very  rough waters and high swells...We could  barely feel it move midships.  Happy that time b/c we  booked an inside Atrium view stateroom.. felt safe and cozy!

[Baron Barracuda]

1 hour ago, Charles4515 said:

 

“Hurtigruten held their ships in Bergen and Trondheim, according to Norwegian press reports....”

Can't compare Hurtigruten to VO.  Their ships are much smaller.  Many are just large car carrying ferries.  

[Fogfog]

OK sooo 

What the heck!

 

Viking had a ship lose power

Holland America had a ship lose power

 

and Celebrity  Millenium ALL in the same day or so.... !!!

 

 2 news ships and one with new nav/systems etc   😱

[Stateroom_Sailor]

6 hours ago, Fogfog said:

OK sooo 

What the heck!

 

Viking had a ship lose power

Holland America had a ship lose power

 

and Celebrity  Millenium ALL in the same day or so.... !!!

 

 2 news ships and one with new nav/systems etc   😱

 

And meanwhile, all the older ships did just fine...

[ABoatNerd]

Yes, vessels can lose power.

 

It depends it if is a one time incident or a systemic issue.

 

The Viking ship is 2017, this is interesting.

 

It missed the previous port, apparently due to wind, lack of a tug, time will tell,

 

Much investigation will occur.

 

Thankfully, the crew and passengers are safe.

 

 

[richstowe]

9 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

 

Viking needs to be held to account. Gale winds and rough seas were forecast. No way should the ship have sailed into that. 

Completely disagree . I've been through severe gale force winds off Cape Hatteras ,a location crossed by all ships going north/south off the eastern Atlantic . I was told by an officer that this was perfectly normal and that's what modern cruise ships are designed to handle . There would be a very limited cruise itineraries if all such areas were avoided . 

Now if Viking knew in advance that they were having engine issues , that would be different .

7 hours ago, Wine-O said:

Maybe passengers will think twice and take Viking river cruises instead in the future.

You think Viking ocean cruises should be avoided because of this ? Should we avoid all ocean cruises or just Viking's ?

[TLCOhio]

From the London/UK Times late this afternoon, they had this headline: “Britons winched to safety from stricken cruise ship in Norway”  with a picture of the Viking Sky being docked in Molde, Norway.  

 

Here are some of their story highlights: “British passengers described the ordeal today of being winched up to helicopters from a stricken cruise ship in howling wind and heaving seas on a treacherous stretch of the Norwegian coast.  Derek Browne, from Hampshire, said the rescue had been frightening. 'I’d never been in a helicopter before. There were a lot of high winds, hovering overhead and the winchman came down and we were then collected up and so I shut my eyes as we arrived into the helicopter and there were 15 of us for about a 20-minute ride.'  Some 200 Britons were among 915 passengers and 458 crew aboard the two-year-old luxury ship. About 20 injured passengers were taken to hospital while others suffered minor injuries, mainly caused by loose furniture and fittings which careened across the decks as the vessel rolled violently in waves up to 25 feet high. There were many Americans and Australians among the passengers.”

 

Here is more on the history with these Viking ships:  "The cruise line, which was arranging for passengers’ homeward flights, has suffered other recent engine failures. The Viking Sea, one of six identical ships, suffered an engine problem in December of 2016 which kept her stuck in Barcelona. In 2016 she temporarily lost power in Malta. In August of 2015, the Viking Star lost power in an engine after leaving Tallinn and the cruise was cancelled."

 

Full story at:

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/britons-winched-to-safety-from-stricken-cruise-ship-in-norway-rjg9mrjs8

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

AFRICA?!!?: Fun, interesting visuals, plus travel details from this early 2016 live/blog. At 44,629 views. Featuring Cape Town, South Africa’s coast, Mozambique, Victoria Falls/Zambia and Botswana's famed Okavango Delta. 

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337

 

From the UK Times, here is their visual of ship being docked in Norway.:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these pictures larger/better!)