A fire broke out aboard a ferry on Wednesday morning, sparking a full-scale emergency response as nearby vessels, including salmon farming work boats, rushed to the scene.
The ferry, in Sognefjorden, Norway, was carrying 22 people, when it sent out a mayday signal just before 10 a.m. after a fuel leak ignited flames in the engine room, according to Norwegian newspaper Bergens Tidende.
At 09:54, a mayday signal was issued after the ferry, which operates on the Lavik-Oppedal route, lost propulsion. Several boats responded to the distress call, including the Mowi-operated vessel Risnefjord.
“We were about 15 minutes away when we heard the mayday. Upon arrival, there were multiple alarms sounding,” said Haldor Haugsdal, operations manager at Mowi Indre Oppedal.
The Risnefjord helped evacuate passengers to safety via life rafts, transporting them to Lavik ferry quay.
In addition to the Risnefjord, other boats involved in the rescue included Bio Navigator, Vingtor, Frøy Stadt, and Frøy Challenger, which gathered near the ferry. Emergency helicopters from Bergen were also dispatched to assist, and the fire brigade’s RITS unit boarded the vessel around 11:00. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, though several crew members were taken to hospital for checks.
The ferry, which was built in 1987, has been towed to Brekke quay for further inspection. While ferry services were temporarily suspended, operations resumed later in the day with alternative vessels covering the route.
