Ocean Explorer cruise ship freed after being stranded in Greenland

August 31, 2024

A luxury cruise ship that had been stranded in remote Greenland since Monday was freed Thursday with an assist from a fishing research vessel, Danish authorities said.

The Joint Arctic Command, part of Danish defense forces, said in a statement that the expedition cruise ship was pulled free by the Tarajoq, which is operated by the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources. The Ocean Explorer, carrying 206 passengers and crew on a voyage to observe rugged glacial terrain, ran aground in an area advertised as the largest and northernmost national park in the world.

Authorities were notified Monday afternoon local time that the ship ran around in the Alpefjord in Northeast Greenland National Park, known for picturesque glaciers, icebergs and muskoxen that roam the coast. Authorities said there have been no injuries aboard the Ocean Explorer and the incident does not pose a threat to the environment.

However, three passengers have covid-19, according to Aurora Expeditions, an Australian-based cruise line that owns and operates the Bahamas-flagged ship. The cruise line said in a statement the passengers have been in isolation and were receiving treatment from its medical teams and crew members.

“All other passengers, Expedition team and crew remain safe and healthy,” Ocean Explorer officials said in a Wednesday statement.

In the days before the ship was freed, Danish authorities scrambled to find solutions, including contacting nearby ships and dispatching local units. In an update Arctic Command posted to Facebook on Wednesday, it said the Tarajoq had arrived but failed in an early attempt to pull the cruise ship free at high tide. The Arctic Command had also called for a patrol vessel to aid the recovery of the cruise ship, but it was not on schedule to arrive until Friday.

“There is a long way for immediate help, our units are far from that and the weather can be very unfavorable,” Captain Brian Jensen of the Arctic Command said in the statement, which was translated into English on Facebook. “Of course, we are following the situation closely and take this incident very seriously,” Jensen added.

The Ocean Explorer is designed for travel to remote destinations across the world, according to the company’s website. The company told AP in a statement its passengers and crew were not in danger, and ensuring a safe recovery was its “foremost commitment.”

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