Viking Sky: Why things went wrong, what happened and what's next?

The cruise was a two-week ‘In Search of the Northern Lights’ voyage, starting and ending in Tilbury

Viking Cruises says “All passengers and crew are safe” after one of its cruise ships finally docked in a port on the coast of Norway.

Hundreds of cruise passengers, many of them elderly, experienced a nightmare evacuation after the ship, Viking Sky, was battered by extreme weather and its engines stopped working.

The emergency raises many serious questions.

What was the ship, and where was she sailing?

The vessel was the two-year-old Viking Sky. She was carrying 915 passengers and 458 crew, making her a relatively small cruise ship.

The cruise was a two-week “In Search of the Northern Lights” voyage, starting and ending in Tilbury in Essex.

This was the last cruise in the first winter for the Viking Cruises itinerary.

When the plans were unveiled, the cruise line’s chairman, Torstein Hagen, said: “No other cruise line can show guests this part of the world like we can. Norway’s landscapes in the winter are truly magnificent.

“I am pleased to offer this exclusive opportunity for our guests to explore my homeland.”

The basic price for the cruise was around £4,000, or about £300 per person per day, making it a relatively expensive voyage.

“Onboard, guests find serene Scandinavian spaces, where every room is beautiful and functional, quiet and filled with light,” the company says.

When and where did things start going wrong?

Viking Sky had sailed from the “turnaround port” of Tromso in Arctic Norway in the evening of Thursday 21 March. It is believed she was sailing direct to Stavanger in the southwest of the country, missing out a planned call in Bodo in northern Norway. She was due to arrive at Tilbury on Tuesday 26 March.

The shipping forecast for the planned voyage was for gale-force winds and very rough seas.

Mayday was declared at 2pm on Saturday afternoon, 23 March. The company says: “Viking Sky experienced a loss of engine power off the coast of Norway near Molde.”

Unable to make progress or steer, the ship was hit by extreme waves, with passengers’ belongings thrown around their cabins.

An emergency was declared. Passengers put on life jackets and went to the muster stations. It was at one of these locations that a huge wave smashed windows, with a large inflow of water that swept a number of passengers off their feet and caused injuries, including broken limbs.

What was the response?

A helicopter evacuation began, with the injured, wet and cold passengers winched off the ship individually and taken in batches of 15 to 20 to the nearby city of Molde.

By 10.30am, 479 passengers had been airlifted from the vessel.

The vessel finally docked under its own power in the port of Molde at 4.30pm, local time.

Viking Cruises says: “Currently we understand 20 people suffered injuries as a result of this incident, and they are all receiving care at the relevant medical centres in Norway, with some already having been discharged.

“Throughout all of this, our first priority was for the safety and wellbeing of our passengers and our crew.

“We would like to thank the Norwegian Redningssentral and the Norwegian emergency services for their support and skill displayed in managing the situation in very challenging weather conditions.

“We would also like to thank the local residents who throughout the whole process have been extremely supportive and hospitable.”

British residents with concerns about passengers on board can call 07585 779 853 or 0208 780 7900.

What is happening to the passengers?

“Passengers will be flying home starting tonight,” says the cruise line.

The nearest international airport to Molde is at Alesund, about 50 miles by road. But at least two departures to Oslo on Sunday evening have been cancelled, and the cruise line is likely to organise extra flights.

Will they get compensation?

Undoubtedly. It remains to be seen how much, and whether it will be in cash or vouchers for future travel on Viking.

In addition, injured and/or distressed passengers may mount legal claims, probably in a class action.

What is likely to happen to the vessel?

Viking Sky will stay in port in Molde while repairs are carried out. Her next voyage, from Tilbury to Germany and Scandinavia, due to depart on Wednesday 27 March, has been cancelled.

“We do not anticipate any additional cancellations at this time,” Viking Cruises says.

Are these difficult waters?

Yes, they can be – but many thousands of British travellers take cruises along the Norwegian coast each year.

Most of them are aboard the Hurtigruten, the coastal ferry service that connects coastal communities but also takes tourists.

Passengers rescued from the cruise ship are helped from a helicopter into Hustadvika rescue centre (AP)

What is the official advice for this part of the world?

The Foreign Office has specific advice for Arctic travel (though at the time of the emergency Viking Sky was about 200 miles south of the Arctic Circle.

It says: “The most popular way of visiting the Arctic is by ship. As some areas of the Arctic – specifically the more northerly and remote regions – can be uncharted and ice-covered, you should check the previous operational experience of cruise and other operators offering travel in the region

“You should also consider the on-board medical facilities of cruise ships and talk to cruise operators as appropriate, particularly if you have a pre-existing medical condition.”