A luxury cruise ship carrying more than 200 people — primarily Australians — is stuck in remote northeastern Greenland after two failed attempts to free it from the mud.
The Ocean Explorer became stuck at about noon on Monday in the Alpefjord, roughly 870 miles (1,400 kilometers) northeast of Greenland’s capital, Nuuk. The closest vessel available to help with rescue efforts only expected to reach the scene on Friday.
Troops from Denmark’s Arctic Special Forces elite unit Sirius, which patrols the vast area by dog sled, have now visited the ship and confirmed that all passengers are safe, Denmark’s military’s Joint Arctic Command said on Wednesday. In neighboring Iceland, the coast guard is on standby with a vessel if needed, local authorities said.
The ship’s captain initially waited for high tide at midnight to try to float clear. But the mud — a mix of sediment, sand and silt left by a nearby glacier — is creating a strong suction that’s holding the vessel in place. The ship waited for the next high tide which was around noon on Tuesday, but that attempt was also unsuccessful.
The Joint Arctic Command has also told another cruise ship, in the vicinity of the Ocean Explorer, to stay in the area in case the situation escalates. A Danish naval ship already at sea off the coast of southwest Greenland has been diverted and should reach the area by Friday morning.
“The crew and passengers are in a difficult situation, but given the circumstances, the atmosphere on the ship is good and everyone on board is doing well,” the Joint Arctic Command said in its statement, citing reports from the Sirius troops. The patrol will stay on land in the area so they can reach the ship within 90 minutes.
The passengers and crew on board number 206, according to the command, and local media in Greenland have reported that about 170 are paying passengers, with rest making up the crew.
The ship is stuck offshore Greenland’s national park, the world’s largest, covering 972,000 square kilometers (375,000 square miles). It’s a protected area with animals including polar bears, musk oxen and walrus. There are no human inhabitants except for workers at weather stations and the small unit of Denmark’s Arctic Special Forces.
Greenland has extensive home rule but is part of the Kingdom of Denmark.
“All passengers, the expedition team and crew onboard are safe and well,” Aurora Expeditions, the ship’s Sydney-based operator, said in a statement. “Importantly, there is no immediate danger to themselves, the vessel, or the surrounding environment.”
Aurora Expeditions specializes in polar trips, including a 30-day cruise costing more than $33,000 (A$51,000) per person for viewing wildlife like polar bears, beluga whales and walruses, according to the its website.
Greenland, like many Arctic countries, is becoming increasingly concerned about the logistics of mounting expensive rescue operations in remote areas.
The number of cruise ships around the world’s largest island has jumped 50% in the past year to 600, Brian Jensen of the Joint Arctic Command, said by phone. Last year, the Joint Arctic Command did one medical evacuation and so far this year it has done five, he said.
--With assistance from Jane Pong.
Author: Christian Wienberg, Ragnhildur Sigurdardottir and Danielle Bochove
