“He looked out the window—and saw a ship in his yard.” A 135-meter container vessel veered off course and crashed just meters from a Norwegian home 🚢🏠 How did it happen? See the surreal scene in the article 👇📸
A peaceful morning turned into something straight out of a movie for Johan Helberg, a resident near Trondheim, Norway. Woken by frantic calls from his neighbors, Johan looked out his window — only to see the massive front end of a container ship looming just meters from his home.
The vessel, a 135-meter-long container ship named NCL Salten, had veered off course and run aground in Johan’s yard at around 30 km/h (16 knots) as it entered the Trondheim fjord, en route to Orkanger in western Norway.
“I had to lean back to even see the top of the ship. It was surreal — like it didn’t belong there,” Johan said, still in disbelief.
Onboard were 16 crew members, including citizens from Norway, Lithuania, and other countries. Fortunately, no one was hurt, and there were no signs of environmental damage, such as fuel leakage.
Authorities have launched a formal investigation into the accident. One crew member is currently under scrutiny, though it’s still unclear what caused the ship to drift so far off course. Both mechanical failure and human error are being examined as possible explanations.
The vessel’s operator, North Sea Container Line (NCL), released a statement saying the crash appears to have been accidental and that a full review is underway.
Initial efforts to dislodge the ship were unsuccessful, with another attempt planned during high tide.
As for Johan, he’s just grateful that the massive vessel narrowly missed his home — but it’s certainly a morning he’ll never forget.
