Man Wakes Up With Ship in His Yard

Byneset, Trondheim, Norway —(Map)

On May 22, Johan Helberg was woken up by the phone. It was a friend, calling to make sure he was okay. Why? In the very early morning, a massive container ship had crashed into Mr. Helberg’s back yard, stopping very close to his house.

Mr. Helberg lives in Byneset, Norway. Along the coastlines of Norway there are thousands of fjords – thin, winding inlets, where the sea makes its way into the land. Mr. Helberg lives in a house on the edge of one of these fjords.

Large container ships make their way up this fjord to deliver products. These container ships can be several football fields long. Some can carry up to 20,000 containers, each the size of a large truck.

Mr. Helberg was shocked when he heard from his friend about the container ship. The friend had actually been ringing Mr. Helberg’s doorbell, but he hadn’t gotten a response. Mr. Helberg is a sound sleeper and he hadn’t heard anything. His friend asked, “Haven’t you seen the ship?”

It didn’t take Mr. Helberg long to figure out what his friend was talking about. Just outside his window was a massive container ship that had run aground. The ship was the NCL Salten, and it’s 443 feet (135 meters) long. When it came ashore just before six that morning, it was only five or six yards (4.5 or 5.5 meters) from his house.

It didn’t take Mr. Helberg long to figure out what his friend was talking about. Just outside his window was a massive container ship that had run aground. “We don’t usually see ships right outside our living room window,” said Mr. Helberg.

Mr. Helberg said that if the ship had been a little bit closer, it could have crashed into his house. He admits to being surprised. “We don’t usually see ships right outside our living room window,” he said.

Police opened an investigation into how the accident happened. They discovered that the officer who was on duty at the time had fallen asleep. The ship was supposed to have alarm systems to warn the crew if the ship was getting too close to land. But the officer said that none of the ship’s alarm bells rang that night.

Police opened an investigation into the accident. They found that the officer who was on duty had fallen asleep. The ship has alarm systems to warn the crew if the ship is getting too close to land. But the officer said that none of the ship’s alarm bells rang that night.

Mr. Helberg says that because of the way the fjord bends, large ships have to make two turns as they enter the fjord. He thinks the ship made the first turn, but didn’t make the second one.

The Norwegian Coast Guard said that the ship was not leaking any oil and that no one on the ship or on land was hurt. The coast guard said that the damage could have been much worse.

After the ship ran aground, it was stuck for five days. By removing some of the containers, a crew was finally able to free the ship on Tuesday, May 27. Above, Mr. Helberg standing in front of the NCL Salten.

After the ship ran aground, it was stuck for five days. The ship’s heavy load of containers made it too heavy to pull out of the shallow water, even at high tide. By removing some of the containers, a crew was finally able to free the ship on Tuesday, May 27.

“It’s good to have said hello,” said Mr. Helberg, “But now it’s time to say goodbye.”

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Did You Know…?
This is the third time the NCL Salten has run aground in the last three years.