Sleepy Watch Officer Charged After Container Ship Crashes into Norwegian Garden

The watch officer of a container ship, the NCL Salten, which crashed into a garden in Byneset, Norway, has been charged with negligent navigation after admitting he fell asleep during his watch. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, but the incident raised concerns about safety protocols on vessels.

In a shocking incident that has captured the attention of locals and media alike, the watch officer of a large container ship has been charged with negligent navigation after he reportedly fell asleep while on duty, leading to the vessel running aground in a residential area in Norway.

The incident occurred on Thursday morning in Byneset, close to Trondheim, when the 135-meter-long (443-foot) Cypriot-flagged cargo ship, the NCL Salten, veered off course and crashed into a local resident's front garden. Fortunately, the ship narrowly missed a nearby house by mere meters. The officer, a Ukrainian national in his thirties, has since been charged, and investigations are underway to determine if the vessel was in compliance with working and rest hour regulations.

According to the prosecutor from the Trondelag Police District, the watch officer admitted during questioning that he had fallen asleep while on duty, which resulted in the ship running aground. No injuries were reported in the incident, but efforts to refloat the vessel have yet to succeed.

Local resident Johan Helberg, the property owner, shared his disbelief at the situation, stating, "I had to bend my neck to see the top of it. It was so unreal." He was alerted to the chaos by a worried neighbor who witnessed the ship heading towards shore, narrowly avoiding his home. "Five meters further south and it would have entered the bedroom," he remarked, underscoring the close call.

This wasn’t the NCL Salten's first run-in with danger; reports indicate that the ship had run aground earlier in the year but was able to free itself using its power. As investigations continue, this incident serves as a stark reminder of the critical importance of vigilance in navigational duties.