1, 300 people being airlifted from MV Viking Sky off western coast of Norway

 

Norway’s sea rescue agency said the MV Viking Sky sent out a distress signal at 14:00 local time (13:00 GMT) amid high waves and strong winds after their engine failed. Five helicopters and several ships are taking part in the evacuation. Each helicopter can carry between 15 to 20 people and until 20:00 139 people had been brought to shore.

A freighter – Hagland Captain also lost engine power and two helicopter diverted to rescue its crew.

The Norwegian Meteorological Institute says some waves are more than 10 meters high, with one local newspaper reporting lifeboats were forced back en route to the ship due to the “brutal” conditions.

MV Viking Sky is a Viking Ocean Cruises ship which had its maiden voyage in 2017, and the vessel was en route to Stavanger from Tromso and is drifting off the town of Farstad in Hustavika near Molde on Norway’s western coast, 1.25miles from shore.

The Viking Cruises group founded by Norwegian billionaire Torsten Hagen.