Cruise ship Ocean Explorer remains stranded in Greenland -Xinhua

Cruise ship Ocean Explorer remains stranded in Greenland

Source: Xinhua| 2023-09-14 05:05:30|Editor: huaxia

COPENHAGEN, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- A cruise ship carrying 206 passengers and crew remains grounded in a remote location in northeast Greenland, after running aground on Monday afternoon.

The Ocean Explorer is stranded in Alpefjord national park, some 600 km north of the Arctic Circle.

Initial attempts to free the ship at high tide have been unsuccessful, according to the Danish authorities on Wednesday.

However, the Danish Armed Forces said there have been no injuries to people on board the ship, and there is no threat to human life or the environment.

Sydney-based tour agency Aurora Expeditions, the operator of the Ocean Explorer, also said on Wednesday that all passengers onboard are "safe and well."

A fisheries research vessel's attempt to free the Ocean Explorer on Wednesday morning was unsuccessful, the Danish military's Joint Arctic Command (JAC) said on Facebook.

Personnel from the Sirius Sled Patrol, operating under the JAC, have boarded the ship to ensure the safety of those on board.

"Given the ship's remote location, far from usual shipping routes, it will take time for additional assistance to arrive," said the Danish Armed Forces.

The inspection vessel Knud Rasmussen is currently on its way, but is not expected to reach the Ocean Explorer until Friday, since the journey covers approximately 2,200 km.

Local media reports indicate that the 104-meter-long cruise ship embarked from Norway on Sept. 1, and was scheduled to sail until Sept. 22.

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