Ship run aground in Norway should be removed within days: Company
Ship run aground in Norway should be removed within days: Company
OSLO - A ship that made world headlines for running aground in Norway a stone's throw from a house should be dragged loose within days, the head of the company managing the salvage operation said on May 26.
Mr Ole Bjornevik, managing director of BOA Offshore, said the company would first unload the ship's cargo, then remove the 135m vessel.
'We estimate that there are approximately 1,500 tonnes of pressure on the fore ship. Once we've unloaded that weight of containers, we can pull it off,' Mr Bjornevik told AFP.
'We plan to do so on May 28,' he added.
The NCL Salten sailed up onto shore just metres from a wooden cabin around dawn on May 22.
A Ukrainian sailor in his 30s was on watch at the time and said he had fallen asleep, according to Norwegian police, who have charged him with 'negligent navigation'.
The seaman also said none of the cargo ship's collision alarms had worked, prosecutor Kjetil Bruland Sorensen told news agency NTB.
The investigation will also look into whether the rules on working hours and rest periods were adhered to on ship, according to police.
The occupant of the house, Mr Johan Helberg, also slept through the incident, and only discovered the unexpected visitor when a panicked neighbour called him on the phone.
None of the 16 crew members were injured. AFP
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
36 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Retrial opens for S. Korean woman who bit off man's tongue in rape attempt
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Choi Mal-ja was 19 when she was attacked by a 21-year-old man in the southern town of Gimhae in 1964. SEOUL - A South Korean court reopened a decades-old case on July 23 after the country's #MeToo movement inspired a woman to challenge her conviction for defending herself against sexual violence 61 years ago. Choi Mal-ja was 19 when she was attacked by a 21-year-old man in the southern town of Gimhae in 1964. He pinned her to the ground and forced his tongue into her mouth, court records showed. Choi managed to break free by biting off about 1.5 centimetres of his tongue. In one of South Korea's most contentious rulings on sexual violence, the aggressor received only six months in prison, suspended for two years, for trespassing and intimidation – but not attempted rape. But Choi was convicted of causing grievous bodily harm and handed a 10-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. The court said at the time her action had 'exceeded the reasonable bounds of legally permissible self-defence'. Choi's case gained renewed momentum decades later after #MeToo movement, which took off globally in 2017 and inspired her to seek justice. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Singapore's domestic recycling rate drops to all-time low of 11% Singapore HDB launches 10,209 BTO and balance flats, as priority scheme for singles kicks in Singapore Local buyers are key to recovery of prime district condo market Singapore New online channel for public to report illegal ride-hailing services Singapore Ex-Tanjong Pagar United footballer charged with assault after Singapore Premier League match in Feb Business Singapore core inflation stays unchanged in June but uncertainties to outlook remain high Life The Projector will resume daily screenings at Golden Mile Tower. Is it exiting Cineleisure next? Singapore Youth Courts will take a new approach to cases, focused on underlying issues and supporting needs In South Korea, massive women's rights protests led to victories on issues ranging from abortion access to tougher penalties for spycam crimes. Choi filed for a retrial in 2020, but lower courts initially rejected her petition. After years of campaigning and an appeal, South Korea's top court finally ordered a retrial in 2024. 'For 61 years, the state made me live as a criminal,' Choi told reporters outside the Busan District Court ahead of July 23's retrial hearing. She said she hoped future generations could 'live in a world free from sexual violence where they can enjoy human rights and a happy life'. Executive director Choi Sun-hye of the Korea Women's Hotline counselling centre, which supported her case, told AFP that her decision was also meant to 'become a source of strength for other victims of sexual violence and correct past wrongs'. At the retrial hearing on July 23, the prosecution asked the court to clear her of the past conviction, the Busan District Court told AFP. The verdict is expected in September 2025. AFP
Straits Times
36 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Sinner re-appoints former fitness coach Ferrara
Find out what's new on ST website and app. FILE PHOTO: Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 28, 2024 Italy's Jannik Sinner poses for a picture with the trophy and fitness coach Umberto Ferrara after winning the final against Russia's Daniil Medvedev REUTERS/Issei Kato/File Photo LONDON - Wimbledon champion Jannik Sinner has re-appointed his former fitness coach Umberto Ferrara with immediate effect, the Italian world number one confirmed on Wednesday. Sinner parted ways with Ferrara and physiotherapist Giacomo Naldi last year following the investigation into his positive tests for banned substance clostebol in March. "The decision has been made in alignment with Jannik's management team as part of ongoing preparations for upcoming tournaments, including the Cincinnati Open and U.S. Open," a statement from Sinner's team said. "Umberto has played an important role in Jannik's development to date, and his return reflects a renewed focus on continuity and performance at the highest level." Sinner received a three-month ban agreed with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in February. WADA had appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against an independent tribunal's decision last August to clear Sinner of wrongdoing. Sinner, who returned to action in May and lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the French Open final before beating him to win Wimbledon, said clostebol, which can build muscle mass, entered his system after Naldi applied an over-the-counter spray to a cut on his own hand before carrying out treatments on Sinner. The spray had been given to Naldi by trainer Ferrara. Sinner was cleared of fault or negligence by an independent tribunal, which accepted that he had inadvertently been contaminated with the substance. Speaking at last year's U.S. Open, Sinner explained his decision to part ways with Ferrara and Naldi. "Now, because of these mistakes, I'm not feeling that confident to continue with them. I was struggling a lot in the last months. I was waiting for the result. The only thing I need right now is some clean air," he said. Ferrara, who had laid the blame for the incident on Naldi, worked with Sinner's fellow Italian Matteo Berrettini this year. REUTERS
Straits Times
8 hours ago
- Straits Times
Ukraine curbs anti-corruption agencies, sparking rare protests
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Ukraine's anti-corruption infrastructure needs to be cleared of "Russian influences". KYIV - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a bill on July 22 revoking the autonomy of two anti-corruption agencies, a proposal that has sparked rare street protests in Kyiv and alarm among the country's international backers. Critics say the legislation consolidates power in Mr Zelensky's hands and will allow government meddling in high-profile graft cases. The European Union called the decision a 'serious step back', while hundreds gathered in central Kyiv to oppose the measure – a show of anti-government anger rarely seen since Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Lawmakers in Ukraine's parliament voted 263 to 13 to approve the bill, the majority of those in favour being from Mr Zelensky's ruling party. Mr Zelensky later signed the bill into law, a senior official told AFP. The bill would place the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (Nabu) and Specialised Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office (Sapo) under the direct authority of the prosecutor general, who is appointed by the president. The Nabu investigates instances of corruption among state institutions, while the Sapo prosecutes other corruption. In an address early on July 23, Mr Zelensky said the Nabu and Sapo would 'work' regardless of the changes, adding that Ukraine's anti-corruption infrastructure needed to be cleared of 'Russian influences'. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Business Singapore's digital banks finding their niche in areas like SMEs as they narrow losses in 2024 World Trump says US will charge 19% tariff on goods from Philippines, down from 20% Singapore Two found dead after fire in Toa Payoh flat Singapore 2 foreigners arrested for shop theft at Changi Airport Opinion Most companies onboard wrong – here's how to get it right Sport AC Milan's Rafael Leao gives Singapore fan an unforgettable birthday Life Ozzy Osbourne, Black Sabbath's bat-biting frontman turned reality TV star, dies aged 76 Singapore Ports and planes: The 2 Singapore firms helping to keep the world moving 'The prosecutor general is determined to ensure that punishment is inevitable in Ukraine,' he said. But the Anti-Corruption Action Center, an NGO, said the law would render the agencies meaningless as Mr Zelensky's prosecutor general would 'stop investigations into all of the president's friends'. Protesters in the capital expressed anger at the measure. Some chanted 'veto the law'. 'The bill is being rushed through,' said 26-year-old game designer Anastasia. 'It is clear that this is a targeted effort,' she added. The protesters jeered and booed after Mr Zelensky signed the bill into law, an AFP reporter saw. Nabu began work in 2015, as Kyiv sought to bring the country closer to Europe after a 2014 pro-European revolution. Since its inception, the agency has uncovered widespread graft, including among figures in Mr Zelensky's administration. 'Bad day for Ukraine' Many opponents of the law voiced concern that Ukraine was reversing course after a decade of democratisation. Ukraine has taken a tough stance on corruption in recent years, both as a prerequisite to joining the EU and to reassure allies who have sent wartime aid, but investigators say it remains a serious problem. EU Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos slammed the vote and said anti-graft institutions were 'essential for Ukraine's EU path'. 'Seriously concerned over today's vote,' Ms Kos wrote on X. 'The dismantling of key safeguards protecting Nabu's independence is a serious step back.' The chair of the Ukrainian parliament's anti-corruption committee, Ms Anastasia Radina, said the bill ran counter to Ukraine's EU accession process. One European diplomat speaking on the condition of anonymity described the move as 'unfortunate'. 'Is it a setback? Yes. Is this a point of non-return? No,' the official told a small group of reporters, including AFP. Ukraine's former foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba, who resigned from the government in 2024, said the measures marked a 'bad day for Ukraine'. 'Now the President has a choice – to stand on the side of the people or not,' he said. On July 21, law enforcement conducted large-scale raids at the Nabu, detaining one employee on suspicion of spying for Russia. Transparency International's Ukraine office called the raids an 'attempt by the authorities to undermine the independence of Ukraine's post-Revolution of Dignity anti-corruption institutions.' Transparency International ranked Ukraine 105th out of 180 countries in its 'corruption perceptions index' in 2024, up from 144 in 2013. AFP
