Ferry Goes Aground Near Hatvik, Norway

On Saturday afternoon, the passenger ferry Fosen ran aground on the approach to her berth at Hatvik, Norway. No injuries were reported, but the vessel was temporarily stranded and 47 passengers had to be evacuated. Their vehicles remained aboard until the vessel could be refloated and brought to the pier. 

The ferry was about 200 yards from the dock at the time of the grounding. The vessel took on a slight list but was in no danger of sinking. Good samaritan responders were on scene immediately, according to local media.

The vessel was pulled off the bottom and unloaded on Saturday night. As of Monday, AIS data showed the Fosen at a floating drydock in Rubbestadneset, roughly 25 nm to the southwest of the site of the grounding.

Grete Fuglem Tennås, CEO of ferry operator FosenNamsos, told Norway's NRK that the vessel sustained damage to her rudder and propeller. He did not have a timeline for repairs, which will depend on the supply of spare parts. FosenNamos has substituted the ferry Marstein on the Hatvik-Venjaneset route, and normal operations resumed midday on Sunday. The firm is investigating the cause of the grounding.

It is the Fosen's second accident on the narrow approach to Hatvik within a month, and her third over the past year. In late January, the vessel struck a rock while nearing the dock in conditions of restricted visibility. Passengers were startled by the noise, but no injuries or major damage were reported. In January 2016, she made contact with a pier near the dock, again without serious harm.