Cruise Ship Docks In Western Norway After Nearly 24 Hours Stranded At Sea - Reports

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th March, 2019) The Norwegian cruise ship that was stranded at sea with over 1,300 people for nearly 24 hours has finally docked on Sunday at a quay in Molde harbor in western Norway, local media reported.

The Viking Sky cruise ship experienced engine problems on Saturday after getting caught in a storm. Rescue teams with five helicopters and several boats were sent to evacuate the ship under extremely difficult weather conditions. The ship, with almost 900 passengers remaining on board, was guided into the Molde harbor with the help of two tugboats.

The ship's passengers expressed relief and joy for the happy ending of a stressful situation, the Norwegian news outlet NRK said.

Hotel accommodations have been arranged for all of the passengers in Molde.

Representatives from the American, UK and Canadian embassies have also arrived to the dock to assist their countries' citizens, NRK said. Transfers by plane to Oslo and London have also been arranged for Sunday evening.

Earlier in the day, it was reported that 17 people received injuries due to the ship stalling, three of which were serious.

According to the Russian embassy in Norway, there were no Russian citizens among the passengers, but four of the crew members were Russian citizens.