Hurtigruten ships have ground support – VG

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The case is updated.

There are a total of 67 people on board, according to Hurtigruten and the main rescue center (HRS).

The ship was on its way to Bergen after a longer stay at the shipyard when the incident occurred.

No injuries have been reported. The ship is stable.

In a press release, Hurtigturen writes that they assess the extent of the damage on an ongoing basis:

– What we know now is that there is minor damage to the bulb and forward ballast tank, which were filled with seawater at the time. Once we have a full overview, we will consider how to get the ship to the shipyard for repairs.

Hurtigruten also states that “Richard With” is not in normal operation at the moment.

TV 2 reported the matter first.

The strait is closed to traffic, says the main rescue centre, which asks people to respect this.

Here the ship is aground – see video:

Communications adviser Anja Bakken at the Central Rescue Service says that they are working to get an overview of the situation.

– How is work on site now?

– It is very quiet in the place. There is still no need for evacuation. Divers will now look at the damage, before towing the ship is started, Bakken tells VG just after 11.00.

– The boat is stable and the captain is in control.

At 12 o’clock, HRS rescue manager Per Hognaland says that they are examining the hull with an ROV, i.e. an underwater robot. When the investigation is finished is too early to say.

High tide is expected in the area just before 5 p.m. If the diving survey indicates that it is possible, an attempt will probably be made to tow the boat off the ground then.

– Appears undramatic

The main rescue center coordinates the action. All emergency services were sent to the scene in addition to the Coast Guard ship and tugboat.

There should be no risk of oil being released from the ship, says Hans Petter Mortensholm, who is director of environmental preparedness at the Coastal Administration.

– The Norwegian Coastal Administration monitors the situation and monitors whether there is a need for assistance in the event of an oil spill, but from our side the incident appears to be undramatic, he tells VG.

According to the tracking service MarineTraffic the ship was on its way from Hareid on Sunnmøre to Bergen.

The ship is 122 meters long and 23 meters wide. It was built in 1993.

According to Hurtigruten The ship has capacity for 590 passengers.

Planning evacuation

Operations manager Tom Johannesen tells VG that the police are on their way to the scene with a patrol and a boat, in case there is a need to evacuate passengers and crew.

– We are taking action now and are getting ready to be able to accept if necessary, says Johannesen.

– From what I understand, the ship’s boom is fixed, says Johannesen. Hurtigruten refers to the grounding as a slight grounding.

The people on board will be evacuated to the island of Solund if necessary, the police say.

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– We have not yet received a notification of the need for evacuation. The ship will be stable on a small islet, and resources have been sent to stabilize it, says Johannesen.

– How long do they have to wait before being evacuated?

– We are waiting for guidance from HRS and do not have a time estimate of how long it will be before evacuation is initiated, says Johannesen.

They currently have no information about the reason why the ship ran aground.

The police are considering an investigation into the incident.

VG has been in contact with the ambulance boat Rosesol, which refers to the management of Gulen Skyss, which owns the boat. Rosesol assists the express route ship.

– It has a call-out, but all coordination goes via AMK, says general manager Frode Sønstabø, who thus has no further comment.

VG has tried to get in touch with Hurtigruten, but has not yet received a reply.

The ship was out on test sailing on Wednesday

On Wednesday, “Richard With” was out on a test sailing at Hareid to test whether everything worked as it should, writes the local newspaper Vikebladet Vestposten. The Hurtigruten ship has been at Myklebust Shipyard in Haugsbygda since February to be rebuilt.

An extensive upgrade has been made which makes the vessel more sustainable and environmentally friendly, informed press contact Martin Henriksen to the local newspaper.

With a little fine-tuning, the ship is ready to enter passenger traffic again, according to Henriksen.

The same ship ran aground outside Trondheim in 2009. At that time, 153 passengers had to be evacuated using a fire escape, rescue skates and helicopter.

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