Helicopters sent to rescue 1,300 passengers from cruise ship off Norway
Passenger
Alexus Sheppard from northern California said she has been waiting
almost six hours to be evacuated. Most people were fairly calm, she
said, and they were being served food and water.
"It's still rocking and rolling here," Sheppard said.
As of Saturday night, about 115 passengers had been rescued and at least eight people had "minor injuries," Eldoen said.
It's unclear whether any passengers still on the ship have been hurt.
Because only one of the
ship's engines is running, rescuers are trying to get the rest of the
engines "working again so the ship can go by its own machine to a safe
harbor" to bring all the passengers to shore.
Rescuers are trying to ensure the ship remains secure and doesn't drift, officials said.
Authorities
initially sent five helicopters and a number of vessels to evacuate the
passengers. They were forced to divert some resources when a nearby
freight vessel lost engine power, putting that ship's crew in danger,
rescue center officials said.
The evacuation of the cruise ship was delayed, officials said, and those still on board were considered safe.
The Viking Sky ship, owned by Viking Ocean Cruises, was built in 2017 and can hold 930 guests, according to the company's website.
The vessel was on its way to Stavanger from Tromso, according to the website Marine Traffic.