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A luxury cruise ship is pulled free 3 days after running aground in Greenland

The Associated Press

The Ocean Explorer, a Bahamas-flagged Norwegian cruise ship with 206 passengers and crew, which had run aground in northwestern Greenland, is pictured on Tuesday SIRIUS/Joint Arctic Command/AP hide caption

The Ocean Explorer, a Bahamas-flagged Norwegian cruise ship with 206 passengers and crew, which had run aground in northwestern Greenland, is pictured on Tuesday

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — The luxury cruise ship MV Ocean Explorer was successfully pulled free on Thursday, three days after running aground in Greenland with 206 people on board, authorities and the ship's owner said.

The ship was freed by a fisheries research vessel at high tide, said the cruise ship's owner, Copenhagen-based SunStone Ships, and the Joint Arctic Command, which coordinated the operation.

"There have not been any injuries to anybody onboard, no pollution of the environment and no breach of the hull," SunStone Ships said in a statement. The research vessel which pulled the cruise ship belongs to the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, a government agency, it said.

It said the cruise ship and its passengers will now travel to a port where the damage to the vessel's bottom can be assessed, and the passengers will be taken to a location from where they can be flown home. There was no immediate comment from the tour company that organized the trip, Australia-based Aurora Expeditions.

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The cruise ship ran aground Monday above the Arctic Circle in Alpefjord in Northeast Greenland National Park, the world's northernmost national park. The park is nearly the size of France and Spain combined, and approximately 80% is covered by an ice sheet. Alpefjord is about 240 kilometers (150 miles) from the closest settlement, Ittoqqortoormiit, which is nearly 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) from the country's capital, Nuuk.

The Bahamas-flagged cruise ship has passengers from Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the United States. It has an inverted bow, shaped like the one on a submarine, 77 cabins, 151 passenger beds and 99 beds for crew, and several restaurants.

Earlier Thursday, Aurora Expeditions said three passengers had COVID-19.

"These passengers are currently in isolation. They are looked after by our onboard doctor, medical team and crew, and they are doing well," it said in a statement. Others on the MV Ocean Explorer are "safe and healthy," it said.

Australian newspaper The Sydney Morning Herald quoted a retiree from Australia who is on the ship, Steven Fraser, as saying: "Everyone's in good spirits. It's a little bit frustrating, but we are in a beautiful part of the world."

Fraser told the newspaper that he had come down with COVID-19 on the ship.

Cmdr. Brian Jensen of the Joint Arctic Command told Greenland broadcaster KNR that the ship is likely to go to Iceland, the closest place with large ports.

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"Now it is exciting to find out what the condition of the ship is," Jensen was quoted as saying by KNR. "They are in the process of investigating whether the ship is intact and seaworthy and ready to sail on."

The ship's owner said several other vessels had rushed to the scene "and offered their assistance, which however, was not needed." It said it had also "arranged additional tug assistance in case it was needed, however, this has now been canceled."

Dozens of cruise ships sail along Greenland's coast every year so passengers can admire the picturesque mountainous landscape, waterways packed with icebergs of different sizes and glaciers jutting out into the sea.

Danish broadcaster DR said there were 400 cruises in Greenland in 2022 and 600 cruises in 2023.

The Danish Maritime Authority asked police in Greenland to investigate why the ship ran aground and whether any laws had been violated, a police statement said, adding that no one has been charged or arrested. An officer has been on board the ship to carry out "initial investigative steps, which, among other things, involve questioning the crew and other relevant persons on board," it said.

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The cruise liner began its current trip on Sept. 2 in Kirkenes in Arctic Norway and was due to return to Bergen, Norway, on Sept. 22, according to SunStone Ships.

The primary mission of the Joint Arctic Command is to ensure Danish sovereignty by monitoring the area around the Faeroe Islands and Greenland, including the Arctic Ocean in the north. Greenland is a semi-independent territory that is part of the Danish realm, as are the Faeroe Islands.

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Ocean explorer: luxury cruise ship freed after running aground in a greenland fjord.

A luxury cruise ship that ran aground off Greenland’s eastern coastline earlier this week has been successfully freed, Denmark’s military Joint Arctic Command said on Thursday.

The Ocean Explorer – carrying 206 passengers and crew – ran aground in Alpefjord on Monday. The JAC said the cruise ship had been pulled free by a fishing research vessel on Thursday morning.

The vessel had failed in several earlier attempts to refloat, raising concerns it would be stuck for days awaiting the arrival of a larger Danish naval ship which was en route to assist.

Earlier, three passengers on board were placed in isolation after contracting Covid-19, tour agency Aurora Expeditions, the ship’s operator, announced Thursday. All others aboard were said to be healthy and safe. It said neither the ship, its passengers, nor the surrounding water had been in danger due to the incident.

SunStone, the ship’s Florida-based owner, said Ocean Explorer had been successfully assisted off its grounding by Tarajoq, a Greenland research vessel that been involved in several earlier attempts to refloat the cruise ship.

“There have not been any injuries to any person on board, no pollution of the environment and no breach of the hull,” SunStone said in a press release.

The company said it had “arranged additional tug assistance in case it was needed,” but that it has now stood down on this.

“We would like to thank our charterer Aurora Expeditions as well as all their passengers for an excellent cooperation in this unexpected and difficult circumstance,” SunStone added.

“The vessel and its passengers will now be positioned to a port where the vessel’s bottom damages can be assessed, and the passengers will be taken to a port from which they can be flown back home.”

T he company did not specify what that port would be.

While the ship was awaiting help, one passenger, named only as Lis, had joked that the main fear on board was running out of alcohol.

“That is the biggest concern I have,” she told CNN affiliate Nine News.

“I had swimming lessons before I came and I’m a good swimmer. So look out: I could be swimming back to Iceland.”

Another passenger, Tracey Varga from Phoenix, Arizona, told CNN Thursday while the cruise ship was still stuck that “for the most part,” everyone on board was positive and most were “taking it in their stride.”

There was no panic amongst passengers, Varga said.

She said staff had been doing a good job at trying to keep passengers entertained. “Today they’re offering a towel-folding workshop to learn some towel origami,” she said.

Australian Debbie Brown, also stuck on Ocean Explorer, told CNN that she thought morale onboard was “reasonably good” and seeing the northern lights in the past two nights had been “exciting.”

The Ocean Explorer had made several unsuccessful attempts to free itself on tidal currents in the past few days, according to a statement from Denmark’s Joint Arctic Command (JAC).

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During high tide on Wednesday, a fishing research vessel, Tarajoq, which is owned by the government of Greenland, attempted to dislodge the cruise ship, but failed to do so, the JAC confirmed with CNN on Wednesday.

A larger Danish naval vessel, the Knud Rasmussen, was dispatched to assist, according to the JAC, but faced a journey of 1,200 nautical miles (around 2,222 kilometers) to reach the cruise ship. It wasn’t due to arrive until late Friday.

“As soon as we realized that the Ocean Explorer could not get free on its own, we sent a ship towards the wreck,” Arctic Commander Brian Jensen said.

Danish military personnel boarded the cruise ship on Tuesday and said all 206 people aboard were “doing well,” according to the Danish Armed Forces on Wednesday.

The ship was “purpose-built for expedition travel to the world’s most remote destinations,” according to the official website for Aurora Expeditions.

CNN’s Tamara Hardingham-Gill also contributed to this story.

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A Luxury Cruise Ship, Stuck Off Greenland’s Coast for 3 Days, Is Pulled Free

The Ocean Explorer had been traveling toward Northeast Greenland National Park when it ran aground on Monday, officials said. The ship was pulled free on Thursday.

By Eduardo Medina

A luxury cruise ship that had been stuck for three days after running aground off the coast of Greenland was pulled free on Thursday morning, the authorities said.

The ship, the Ocean Explorer, had been carrying 206 passengers and crew members and was headed toward Alpefjord, in a remote corner of Greenland. The ship’s destination was the Northeast Greenland National Park, the world’s northernmost national park, which is home to icebergs, glaciers and high mountains.

The Joint Arctic Command, which is part of Denmark’s defense forces, and SunStone Maritime Group , the coordinators of the rescue operation, said in statements on Thursday that the ship had been pulled free by a vessel named Tarajoq.

There were no reported injuries on board the ship, and there was no threat to the environment. The ship’s operator, Aurora Expeditions, a cruise company based in Australia, said in a statement on Thursday that “all onboard are safe” and that it appreciated “the patience and understanding of our passengers during this process.”

“We are waiting on the relevant authorities for advice regarding our next steps,” the company said.

The rescue came after an unsuccessful attempt on Wednesday, in which a fishing research vessel owned by the government of Greenland tried and failed to pull free the Ocean Explorer at high tide. Bad weather also slowed the government’s rescue operations, officials said.

Before the ship was freed, the Joint Arctic Command had said that “the crew and passengers are in a difficult situation, but after the circumstances, the atmosphere on the ship is good and everyone on board is fine.”

It was unclear what caused the ship to run aground near Greenland, which is part of Denmark but has autonomy over most domestic affairs. Officials said there were no indications that the ship had suffered serious damage to its foundation.

Cruises around Greenland have become increasingly popular with tourists seeking adventure and comfort aboard ships packed with amenities.The Ocean Explorer, built in 2021, was made to “travel to the world’s most remote destinations,” according to Aurora Expeditions’ website .

Prices for a 17-day expedition that tours Greenland start at more than $15,000 per person. The ship has a gym, a Jacuzzi and spacious suites that are 640 square feet, offering guests two large master bathrooms, one master bedroom and expansive views of the sea .

Photos of the stuck Ocean Explorer on Wednesday showed a blue-and-white ship floating in waters with frosted mountain peaks in the distance.

Extreme cold did not appear to be a major issue for stranded passengers on Wednesday: The temperature in the area was around 2.2 degrees Celsius, or about 36 degrees Fahrenheit, that night.

Jenny Gross contributed reporting.

Eduardo Medina is a reporter covering breaking news. More about Eduardo Medina

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A cruise ship with 206 people onboard has run aground in Greenland

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COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A Bahamas-flagged Norwegian cruise ship with 206 passengers and crew has run aground in northwestern Greenland, authorities said Tuesday, adding that no one on board was in danger and no damage has been reported.

“Our units are far away, and the weather can be very unfavorable,” said Cmdr. Brian Jensen of the Joint Arctic Command.

The closest Danish navy ship was about 1,200 nautical miles (more than 2,000 kilometers or 1,380 miles) away, he said, adding it was heading to the site and could be expected at the grounded ship as soon as Friday. Jensen said in a statement there is no immediate danger to human life or the environment, but that officials “take this incident very seriously.”

The 104.4-meter (343-foot) long and 18-meter (60 foot) wide Ocean Explorer ran aground on Monday in Alpefjord in the Northeast Greenland National Park. It’s the world’s largest and most northerly national park and is known for icebergs and the musk oxen that roam the coast.

The ship belongs to Ulstein Group in Ulsteinvik, southern Norway.

Authorities have been in contact with another cruise ship in the area and it had been asked to remain nearby to assist should the situation develop. The other cruise ship was not identified.

The grounded cruise ship might also get free on its own when the tide is high, Greenland television KNR reported. “Regardless, the most important thing for us is that everyone gets to safety,” Jensen said.

Later Tuesday the Joint Arctic Command said on its Facebook page that the ship was still stuck despite the tide.

“There are still no reports that human life or the environment is in acute danger,” Joint Arctic Command said.

The primary mission of the Joint Arctic Command is to ensure Danish sovereignty by monitoring the area around the Faeroe Islands and Greenland, two semi-independent territories that are part of the Danish realm.

Cruise ship with 206 on board runs aground in Greenland

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — A Bahamas-flagged Norwegian cruise ship with 206 passengers and crew has run aground in northwestern Greenland, authorities said Tuesday, adding that no one on board was in danger and no damage has been reported.

“Our units are far away, and the weather can be very unfavorable,” said Cmdr. Brian Jensen of the Joint Arctic Command.

The closest Danish navy ship was about 1,380 miles away, he said, adding it was heading to the site and could be expected at the grounded ship as soon as Friday. Jensen said in a statement there is no immediate danger to human life or the environment, but that officials “take this incident very seriously.”

The 343-foot-long, 60-foot-wide Ocean Explorer ran aground Monday in Alpefjord in Northeast Greenland National Park. It’s the world’s largest and most northerly national park and is known for icebergs and the musk oxen that roam the coast.

The ship belongs to Ulstein Group in Ulsteinvik, southern Norway.

Authorities have been in contact with another cruise ship in the area and it had been asked to remain nearby to assist should the situation develop. The other cruise ship was not identified.

The grounded cruise ship might also get free on its own when the tide is high, Greenland television KNR reported. “Regardless, the most important thing for us is that everyone gets to safety,” Jensen said.

Later Tuesday the Joint Arctic Command said on its Facebook page that the ship was still stuck despite the tide.

“There are still no reports that human life or the environment is in acute danger,” Joint Arctic Command said.

The primary mission of the Joint Arctic Command is to ensure Danish sovereignty by monitoring the area around the Faeroe Islands and Greenland, two semi-independent territories that are part of the Danish realm.

CORRECTION (Sept. 12, 2023, 11:45 p.m. ET): A photo caption in a previous version of this article misstated when the cruise ship ran aground. It did so Monday, not Tuesday.

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Cruise ship runs aground in Greenland with 206 passengers onboard

There are no reports of injuries on the Ocean Explorer, which was grounded in the remote Northeast Greenland National Park

A cruise ship with 206 passengers and crew onboard has run aground in north-west Greenland , and remained stuck even after high tide.

Cmdr Brian Jensen of Denmark ’s Joint Arctic Command said that nobody on board was in danger and that no damage has been reported, but added that officials “take this incident very seriously”.

“Our units are far away, and the weather can be very unfavourable,” he said in a statement.

The closest Danish navy ship was about 1,200 nautical miles (1,380 miles or 2,200km) away, he said, adding it was heading to the site and could be expected at the grounded ship as soon as Friday.

The 104-metre (343ft) long and 18-metre wide Ocean Explorer ran aground on Monday in Alpefjord in the Northeast Greenland National Park. It is the world’s largest and most northerly national park and is known for icebergs and the musk oxen that roam the coast.

Authorities have been in contact with another cruise ship in the area and it had been asked to remain nearby to assist should the situation develop. The other cruise ship was not identified.

The grounded cruise ship might also get free on its own when the tide is high, Greenland television KNR reported. “Regardless, the most important thing for us is that everyone gets to safety,” Jensen said.

Later on Tuesday the Joint Arctic Command said on its Facebook page that the ship was still stuck despite the tide.

“There are still no reports that human life or the environment is in acute danger,” it added.

The primary mission of the Joint Arctic Command is to ensure Danish sovereignty by monitoring the area around the Faroe Islands and Greenland, two semi-independent territories that are part of the Danish realm.

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A Cruise Ship With 206 People Onboard Has Run Aground in Greenland

A Bahamas-flagged Norwegian cruise ship with 206 passengers and crew has run aground in northwestern Greenland

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — A Bahamas-flagged Norwegian cruise ship with 206 passengers and crew has run aground in northwestern Greenland, authorities said Tuesday, adding that no one on board was in danger and no damage has been reported.

“Our units are far away, and the weather can be very unfavorable,” said Cmdr. Brian Jensen of the Joint Arctic Command.

The closest Danish navy ship was about 1,200 nautical miles (more than 2,000 kilometers or 1,380 miles) away, he said, adding it was heading to the site and could be expected at the grounded ship as soon as Friday. Jensen said in a statement there is no immediate danger to human life or the environment, but that officials "take this incident very seriously.”

The 104.4-meter (343-foot) long and 18-meter (60 foot) wide Ocean Explorer ran aground on Monday in Alpefjord in the Northeast Greenland National Park. It's the world’s largest and most northerly national park and is known for icebergs and the musk oxen that roam the coast.

The ship belongs to Ulstein Group in Ulsteinvik, southern Norway.

Authorities have been in contact with another cruise ship in the area and it had been asked to remain nearby to assist should the situation develop. The other cruise ship was not identified.

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The grounded cruise ship might also get free on its own when the tide is high, Greenland television KNR reported. "Regardless, the most important thing for us is that everyone gets to safety,” Jensen said.

Later Tuesday the Joint Arctic Command said on its Facebook page that the ship was still stuck despite the tide.

“There are still no reports that human life or the environment is in acute danger," Joint Arctic Command said.

The primary mission of the Joint Arctic Command is to ensure Danish sovereignty by monitoring the area around the Faeroe Islands and Greenland, two semi-independent territories that are part of the Danish realm.

Copyright 2023 The  Associated Press . All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Fishing trawler fails to free cruise ship grounded in Greenland with 85 Australians on board

A fishing trawler's attempt to free a luxury cruise ship that ran aground two days ago in a remote part of Greenland has failed, leaving the vessel and 206 people on board still stranded.

Key points:

• The ship has been stuck in Alpefjord national park in Greenland since Monday
• A fish trawler failed to pull the ship free during high tide, Danish military said
• 85 Australians are on the ship, a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson said

Among those on board are 85 Australians, according to a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson.

The Ocean Explorer has been stuck since Monday in mud and silt in the Alpefjord national park, some 1,400 kilometres north-east of Greenland's capital Nuuk, Denmark's armed forces said.

The large trawler sought to pull the cruise ship free during high tide, but the attempt ultimately failed, the Danish military's Joint Arctic Command (JAC) said in a statement.

Armed forces personnel stationed in Greenland have inspected the Ocean Explorer and spoken to those on board, concluding that they were in good condition.

"The crew and passengers are in a difficult situation, but under the circumstances the atmosphere on the ship is good and everyone on board is doing well," the JAC said.

The Danish navy's Knud Rasmussen patrol vessel was expected to arrive at the Alpefjord site on Friday afternoon local time, the JAC said.

"If everything goes well, they will help the ship get out of this emergency that they're in at this moment. But it depends on how everything looks when they arrive on Friday so we need to see how it goes," a JAC spokesperson said.

The passengers and crew remained safe on board, Australian travel operator Aurora Expeditions said earlier.

"There is no immediate danger to themselves, the vessel or the surrounding environment," Sydney-based Aurora said in a statement.

Photos taken by the Danish military showed the Ocean Explorer sitting upright in calm waters with the sun shining.

Greenland, a semi-sovereign territory of Denmark in the North Atlantic Ocean with a population of just 57,000, attracts tourists with its rugged landscape and a vast ice cap that covers much of the island.

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Cruise ship carrying 206 people runs aground in Greenland

The bahamas-flagged ocean explorer ran aground on monday in the world’s largest and most northerly national park and is known for icebergs and the musk oxen that roam the coast, published september 12, 2023.

A Bahamas-flagged Norwegian cruise ship with 206 passengers and crew has run aground in northwestern Greenland , authorities said Tuesday, adding that no one on board was in danger and no damage has been reported.

“Our units are far away, and the weather can be very unfavorable,” said Cmdr. Brian Jensen of the Joint Arctic Command.

The closest Danish navy ship was about 1,200 nautical miles (more than 2,000 kilometers or 1,380 miles) away, he said, adding it was heading to the site and could be expected at the grounded ship as soon as Friday. Jensen said in a statement there is no immediate danger to human life or the environment, but that officials "take this incident very seriously.”

Get Tri-state area news and weather forecasts to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York newsletters.

The 104.4-meter (343-foot) long and 18-meter (60 foot) wide Ocean Explorer ran aground on Monday in Alpefjord in the Northeast Greenland National Park. It's the world’s largest and most northerly national park and is known for icebergs and the musk oxen that roam the coast.

The ship belongs to Ulstein Group in Ulsteinvik, southern Norway.

Authorities have been in contact with another cruise ship in the area and it had been asked to remain nearby to assist should the situation develop. The other cruise ship was not identified.

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The grounded cruise ship might also get free on its own when the tide is high, Greenland television KNR reported. "Regardless, the most important thing for us is that everyone gets to safety,” Jensen said.

Later Tuesday the Joint Arctic Command said on its Facebook page that the ship was still stuck despite the tide.

“There are still no reports that human life or the environment is in acute danger," Joint Arctic Command said.

The primary mission of the Joint Arctic Command is to ensure Danish sovereignty by monitoring the area around the Faeroe Islands and Greenland, two semi-independent territories that are part of the Danish realm.

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Luxury cruise ship freed days after running aground near Greenland

Passengers and crew reported being healthy and safe overall.

By Sarah Gambles

A luxury cruise ship that was trapped off the coast of Greenland for three days has finally been freed.

The Ocean Explorer was carrying 206 passengers and crew members, and was heading toward the Northeast Greenland National Park when it became stuck off the Greenland coast Monday.

Passengers and crew reported being healthy and safe overall, but three passengers went into isolation after testing positive for COVID-19, CNN reported.

How did the luxury cruise ship get freed from Greenland coast?

After several attempts to release the Ocean Explorer after it was grounded near Greenland, tug assistance was finally able to free the large ship Thursday morning, per CNN .

The 17-day expedition ticket price is steep — at more than $15,000 per person, the luxury liner includes large suites, a gym, a Jacuzzi “and expansive views of the sea,” The New York Times reported.

What caused the ship to get stuck?

It’s not clear what caused the ship to run aground, but Denmark officials are still investigating the situation and report that there was no serious damage to the ship or the surrounding environment from the incident, according to The New York Times .

Greenland is a remote area that is part of Denmark’s territory.

What do we know about Alpefjord, Northeast Greenland National Park?

Alpefjord is located above the Arctic Circle and is in the Northeast Greenland National Park. According to The Associated Press , the park expands over approximately 605,973 square miles — “almost as much land as France and Spain combined, and approximately 80% is permanently covered by an ice sheet.”

It is the world’s largest national park and is “uninhabited by humankind,” per Greenland Travel .

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Luxury cruise ship pulled free after passengers stuck for days off Greenland's coast

Previous attempts to free the stranded Ocean Explorer were unsuccessful.

LONDON -- A luxury cruise ship carrying 206 people has been pulled free days after it got stuck off the coast of Greenland, authorities said.

The Joint Arctic Command, which is part of Denmark's defense forces, announced in a social media post on Thursday that the ship, named the Ocean Explorer, was finally pulled free at high tide in Greenland, which is a semiautonomous territory of Denmark.

The 343-foot long and 60-foot wide vessel, which is operated by Australia-based cruise company Aurora Expeditions, was traveling toward a remote corner of Greenland on Monday when it ran aground above the Arctic Circle near Alpefjord in the Northeast Greenland National Park, the northernmost national park in the world.

Previous attempts to free the stranded ship on Tuesday and Wednesday were unsuccessful.

It was unclear why the vessel ran aground. There were no reports of damage to the ship.

ABC News' Jon Haworth, Will Gretsky and Emma Ogao contributed to this report.

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Business | Cruise ship that charges $33,000 per person is…

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Business | Cruise ship that charges $33,000 per person is stuck in Greenland’s Arctic

The ocean explorer became stuck at about noon on monday roughly 870 miles northeast of greenland’s capital..

By Christian Wienberg, Ragnhildur Sigurdardottir and Danielle Bochove | Bloomberg

A luxury cruise ship carrying more than 200 people — primarily Australians — is stuck in remote northeastern Greenland after two failed attempts to free it from the muddy seabed.

The Ocean Explorer became stuck at about noon on Monday in the Alpefjord, roughly 870 miles (1,400 kilometers) northeast of Greenland’s capital, Nuuk. The closest vessel available to help with rescue efforts is only expected to reach the scene on Friday.

Troops from Denmark’s Arctic Special Forces elite unit Sirius, which patrols the vast area by dog sled, have now visited the ship and confirmed that all passengers are safe, Denmark’s military’s Joint Arctic Command said on Wednesday. In neighboring Iceland, the coast guard is on standby with a vessel if needed, local authorities said.

A couple of people on board the ship have tested positive for Covid-19 and have isolated, the Sydney Morning Herald reported, citing passengers at the ship. No one is in a serious condition, the people told the newspaper. The Joint Arctic Command didn’t comment on the report.

The ship has at least twice tried to use high tide to float clear, but the mud — a mix of sediment, sand and silt left by a nearby glacier — is creating a strong suction that’s holding it in place. A nearby fishing ship may attempt to help the cruise ship at the next tide, the Associated Press reported on Wednesday.

The Joint Arctic Command has also told another cruise ship in the vicinity of the Ocean Explorer to stay in the area in case the situation escalates. A Danish naval ship already at sea off the coast of southwest Greenland has been diverted and should reach the area by Friday morning.

“The crew and passengers are in a difficult situation, but given the circumstances, the atmosphere on the ship is good and everyone on board is doing well,” the Joint Arctic Command said in its statement, citing reports from the Sirius troops. The patrol will stay on land in the area so they can reach the ship within 90 minutes.

The passengers and crew on board number 206, according to the command, and local media in Greenland have reported that about 170 are paying passengers, with rest making up the crew.

The ship is stuck offshore Greenland’s national park, the world’s largest, covering 972,000 square kilometers (375,000 square miles). It’s a protected area with animals including polar bears, musk oxen and walrus. There are no human inhabitants except for workers at weather stations and the small unit of Denmark’s Arctic Special Forces.

Greenland has extensive home rule but is part of the Kingdom of Denmark.

“All passengers, the expedition team and crew onboard are safe and well,” Aurora Expeditions, the ship’s Sydney-based operator, said in a statement. “Importantly, there is no immediate danger to themselves, the vessel, or the surrounding environment.”

Aurora Expeditions specializes in polar trips, including a 30-day cruise costing more than $33,000 per person for viewing wildlife, including polar bears, beluga whales and walruses, according to its website.

Greenland, like many Arctic countries, is becoming increasingly concerned about the logistics of mounting expensive rescue operations in remote areas.

The number of cruise ships around the world’s largest island has jumped 50% in the past year to 600, Brian Jensen of the Joint Arctic Command said by phone. Last year, the Joint Arctic Command did one medical evacuation and so far this year it has done five, he said.

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Norwegian cruise ship with 206 aboard runs aground near Greenland

The ship got stuck Monday in a remote part of the world's largest and most northerly national park known for its icebergs and roaming musk oxen.

Authorities said Wednesday that a fishery vessel will attempt to use the high tide to pull free a Bahamas-flagged Norwegian cruise ship carrying 206 people that ran aground in northwestern Greenland.

Capt. Flemming Madsen from the Danish Joint Arctic Command told The Associated Press that those on board were doing fine and ”all I can say is that they got a lifetime experience.”

A scientific fishing vessel owned by the Greenland government was scheduled to arrive later Wednesday and together with the high tide would attempt to pull the 343-foot long and 60 foot wide MV Ocean Explorer free.

The cruise ship, 343 feet long and 60 feet wide, ran aground on Monday in Alpefjord in the Northeast Greenland National Park — the world’s largest and most northerly national park, known for icebergs and the musk oxen that roam the coast.

The Alpefjord sits in a remote corner of Greenland, some 149 miles away from the closest settlement, Ittoqqortoormiit which is nearly 870 miles from Nuuk, the Greenland capital, and across from the ice sheet that covers the world’s largest island.

Dozens of cruise ships sail along Greenland’s coast every year so that passengers can admire the picturesque mountainous landscape with fjords, the waterways packed with icebergs of different sizes and glaciers jutting out into the sea.

In a statement, Australia-based Aurora Expeditions which operates the ship, said that all passengers and and crew onboard were safe and well and that there was “no immediate danger to themselves, the vessel, or the surrounding environment.”

“We are actively engaged in efforts to free the MV Ocean Explorer from its grounding. Our foremost commitment is to ensure the vessel’s recovery without compromising safety," the statement said.

Madsen said the passengers were “a mix” of tourists from Australia, New Zealand, Britain, the United States and South Korea.

The people onboard “are in a difficult situation, but given the circumstances, the atmosphere on the ship is good and everyone on board is doing well. There are no signs that the ship was seriously damaged by the grounding,” the Joint Arctic Command said Wednesday.

On Tuesday, members of the Sirius Dog Sled Patrol, a Danish naval unit that conducts long-range reconnaissance and enforces Danish sovereignty in the Arctic wilderness, paid them a visit and explained the situation “which calmed them down as some were anxious,” said Madsen who was the on-duty officer with the Joint Arctic Command.

Greenland is a semi-independent territory that is part of the Danish realm, as are the Faeroe Islands.

The Joint Arctic Command said Wednesday that there were other ships in the vicinity of the stranded cruise liner and “if the need arises, personnel from the Sirius Dog Sled Patrol can be at the accident site within an hour and a half.”

Passengers witness 78 pilot whales slaughtered during cruise

The Faroe Islands have long been criticized for allowing the practice of slaughtering whales for their meat and blubber.

The command said the nearest Danish navy ship, the patrol ship Knud Rasmussen, was more than 1,380 miles away. It was heading to the site and could be expected to reach the grounded ship as soon as Friday.

The ship has made two failed attempts to float free on its own when the tide is high.

The primary mission of the Joint Arctic Command is to ensure Danish sovereignty by monitoring the area around the Faeroe Islands and Greenland.

Based in Nuuk, the command oversees the waters around the Faeroe Islands in the east and the sea around Greenland, including Arctic Ocean in the north, and has three larger patrol ships of the Knud Rasmussen class that have a landing platform for helicopters, although the ships do not have choppers.

The ships’ tasks include fisheries inspections, environment protection, search and rescue, sovereignty enforcement, icebreaking, towage and salvage operations and carry out police tasks.

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A group of cruise passengers stranded off the coast of Africa spent 6 days chasing the ship to get back on

• Eight passengers chased their cruise ship around Africa for six days.
• Norwegian Cruise Line confirmed the passengers re-embarked in Senegal on Tuesday.
• They were stranded in São Tomé and Príncipe and missed a chance to re-embark in Gambia.

A group of passengers left stranded on a small African island after missing a boarding deadline finally managed to rejoin their cruise ship on Tuesday after chasing it for almost a week.

On March 27 a private tour overran, causing eight passengers to miss the Norwegian Dawn's 3 p.m. all-aboard time by over an hour, a spokesperson for Norwegian Cruise Line confirmed via email to Business Insider.

The passengers found themselves stuck on São Tomé and Príncipe , an island nation of some 220,000 people off West Africa, in what the cruise line called a "very unfortunate situation."

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Despite the efforts of São Tomé and Príncipe Coast Guard to ferry the passengers to the ship in tender boats, the group was unable to reboard and had to turn back to land, according to the ABC affiliate WPDE.

The first attempt to get the guests back on the ship occurred on Monday, when they hoped to re-embark at a port in Banjul, Gambia, some 1,800 miles from São Tomé and Príncipe.

However, "adverse weather conditions, as well as tidal restrictions" meant that the ship could not dock safely, a spokesperson for the cruise line said.

As a result, the guests had to chase the ship to Dakar, Senegal — a distance of some 100 miles further — for another attempt to re-embark on Tuesday.

Norwegian said it helped the passengers by facilitating their visas, and would pay them back for the trip from Gambia to Senegal.

Jill Campbell, one of the passengers, told NBC News that she and her husband traveled through seven countries in 48 hours to catch up with the ship.

It wasn't clear exactly what route they took.

The couple had considered not rejoining the ship, believing that Norwegian Cruise Line had fallen short in a '"basic duty of care," Campbell told NBC News.

But, six days after being left behind in São Tomé and Príncipe, the cruise line confirmed the eight passengers, including the Campbells, finally re-embarked in Senegal on Tuesday.

Watch: Stowaways survive 14 days at sea clinging to a ship rudder

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8 Norwegian Cruise Passengers Stranded on African Island Catch Up to Ship After Traversing 7 Countries

The group of stranded American and Australian passengers included four elderly people, one with a heart condition and a pregnant woman

Natalia Senanayake is an Editorial Assistant, Lifestyle at PEOPLE. She covers all things travel and home, from celebrities' luxury mansions to breaking travel news.

Sipa via AP

• Nine Norwegian Cruise Line passengers were reportedly left behind on the African island of São Tomé and Príncipe on March 27 
• The group was on a guided excursion that got delayed, leading them to miss the ship’s "all aboard" call 
• A statement from Norwegian Cruise Lines noted that all guests are responsible for returning to the docked ship at the designated call time 
• Eight people were able to catch up to the ship on Tuesday morning after reportedly traversing seven countries.
• One, who had fallen ill before the incident, has safely returned to the U.S.

Multiple passengers were stranded on an island in Africa after their Norwegian Cruise Line ship reportedly left them behind. After several days of uncertainty and a trek across seven countries, they're now back on board the vessel.

On Wednesday, March 27, South Carolina couple Jill and Jay Campbell were enjoying a guided tour on the island of São Tomé and Príncipe located off the continent's western coast, ABC15 News reported at the time. The pair was with six other American and Australian passengers when they realized they wouldn’t make it back to the ship on time due to their tour taking longer than planned.

Though the tour operator contacted the cruise ship’s captain to inform them of the delay, the captain refused to let them back on the still-anchored ship when they arrived at the port because it was after the "all aboard" call, per the outlet. 

The São Tomé and Príncipe Coast Guard allegedly then took them by boat directly to the ship where the captain again did not permit them to board. 

The group later encountered another stranded passenger, an 80-year-old woman, who was hospitalized on the island after a cruise line tour, the outlet stated. The woman reportedly experienced memory and vision loss due to a medical emergency. 

In addition to the ill passenger, the group also includes one person who is pregnant, one with a heart condition and four elderly travelers. 

The majority of the group left their medications and credit cards on the ship except for the Campbells, who have reportedly paid over $5,000 for food, accommodations, and other necessities for their fellow passengers. 

On Sunday, the U.S. Embassy in Angola allegedly arranged for the group to fly to the West African country of Gambia, the ship's next planned port of call, so they could reboard. 

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Unfortunately, the group discovered the cruise ship wasn’t docked at the port in Gambia as planned because it had to spend another day at sea due to low tides. ABC News 4 reports the passengers spent fifteen hours traveling through six countries to make it to the port on Sunday. 

“We have to cross the ferry to get into Senegal,” Campbell told the outlet on Monday, marking their seventh country. “We just learned from the gentleman that the ferry hadn’t been working, but he said no problem, if the ferry is not working we will get another little boat and then pick up a car on the other side. And then once we get on the other side of Senegal, it’s another four-hour drive.” 

In a statement to PEOPLE, Norwegian Cruise Line said, “On the afternoon of March 27, 2024, while the ship was in São Tomé and Príncipe, an African island nation, eight guests who were on the island on a private tour not organized through us missed the last tender back to the vessel, therefore not meeting the all aboard time of 3 p.m. local time."

The statement continued, “While this is a very unfortunate situation, guests are responsible for ensuring they return to the ship at the published time, which is communicated broadly over the ship’s intercom, in the daily print communication and posted just before exiting the vessel.”

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The cruise line added that guests are “responsible for any necessary travel arrangements” to meet the ship at the next port and that they had each of their passports “delivered to the local port agents to retrieve” when they missed their all aboard call.

The group was finally able to catch up to the vessel. They reached Dakar, Senegal, its next port, on Monday night, PEOPLE confirmed.

After what they'd been through, Jill told NBC News in a story published on Tuesday, "We are considering whether or not we are going to board the ship. We believe there was a basic duty of care that they had forgotten about, so it does concern us." While she allowed that Norwegian technically followed protocol, she says, "I believe that they really forgot that they are people working in the hospitality industry and really the safety and well-being of the customers should be their first priority."

On Tuesday morning, the eight passengers, less the person who had fallen ill and later safely returned home to the United States, chose to board the cruise. Norwegian confirmed the news to PEOPLE in a statement.

"Despite the series of unfortunate events outside of our control, we will be reimbursing these eight guests for their travel costs from Banjur, Gambia to Dakar, Senegal. We remain in communication with the guests and are providing additional information as it becomes available,"

The Norwegian Dawn departed from Cape Town, South Africa, on March 20 for a 21-day trip that will end in Barcelona on April 10.

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Norwegian Cruise hits back at passengers stranded on African island as row heats up

N orwegian Cruise has hit back at a group of passengers lamenting being left stranded on an African island after being refused to board following an excursion.

The company said the group, including six Americans and two Australians, failed to show up at the expected sailing time of 3 p.m. and insisted the ship only followed protocol when it left them on the island of São Tomé.

A spokesperson for the company said: "When they missed the all-aboard time of 3 p.m. by more than an hour, their passports were left with the local port agent for retrieval when they returned to the port from their private tour (not organized by us), per the protocol."

Norwegian Cruise reiterated that cruise lines have a right to sail regardless of passengers being delayed on excursions or private tours to ensure they respect the ship's schedule.

Two members of the stranded group, Jay and Jill Campbell of South Carolina , said their guide had caused them to miss the departure slot and failed to return them to the ship on time.

READ MORE: Americans stuck on remote African island after turning up late for Norwegian Dawn cruise

The group had the Coast Guard ferry them to the cruise ship as it was still in sight of the island but the captain denied them boarding.

Speaking to the New York Post , the spokesperson added: "Guests are responsible for ensuring they return to the ship at the published time, which is communicated broadly over the ship's intercom, in the daily communication and posted just before exiting the vessel."

But Jill Campbell insisted the cruise captain "followed the rules too rigidly", saying staff had a "basic duty of care that they had forgotten about."

Campbell told the Today Show: "I really feel that they forgot they are people working in the hospitality industry and that really the safety and well-being of their customers should be their first priority."

She also said the company was remiss in assisting them after leaving them stranded because they didn't secure their money, medicines or other belongings alongside their passports - which were left with port authorities to facilitate their travel to the next port of call or back home.

Campbell said the group included a pregnant woman, a man with a heart condition and a paraplegic.

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https://www.the-express.com/news/us-news/133092/americans-stranded-remote-african-island-late-norwegian-dawn-cruise

Norwegian Cruise hit back: "When the guests did not return to the vessel at the all-aboard time, their passports were delivered to the local port agents to retrieve when they returned to the port."

The company said they have reached out to the group and are now facing additional questions after the family of a passenger complained about their 80-year-old relative was also left in São Tomé.

Julie Lenkoff suffered a stroke and possible heart attack while on board the cruise ship and staff ensured her transfer to a local clinic on the island.

However, Lenkoff's family has claimed the cruise liner failed to contact her next of kin and left her alone - until the stranded group found out about her and took care of her.

Son Kurt Gies said: "They're heroes. They saved our mother." The Campbells assisted Lenkoff in contacting her family and she has since returned to California, where she remains under constant care.

The eight passengers chased their cruise shop through several countries and finally managed to re-board on April 3 - nearly a week after they were left in São Tomé.

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Norwegian cancels more than a dozen cruises on 7 ships in 2025

Norwegian Cruise Line canceled more than a dozen cruises on seven ships.

The sailings were scheduled to take place in 2025. The changes “are a result of varied events including the ongoing situation in the Red Sea and Israel, modified dry dock schedules for ship enhancements, a full ship charter, and lastly, to accommodate the demand for shorter close-to-home voyages to the Bahamas,” according to a spokesperson for the line.

The following itineraries were canceled:

• Norwegian Spirit: Jan. 21, 2025
• Norwegian Jade: Feb. 20 through and including March 24, 2025
• Norwegian Sky: April 19 through and including June 5, 2025
• Norwegian Star: May 17 through and including June 9, 2025
• Norwegian Viva: May 18 and 27, and Sep. 20 and 29, 2025
• Norwegian Pearl: Oct. 15, 2025
• Norwegian Epic: Nov. 1 and 11, 2025

“We are committed to providing exceptional vacation experiences, both aboard our ships and by taking our guests to some of the most sought-out destinations around the world,” the spokesperson said in an emailed statement. “While we try to maintain original itineraries as much as possible, at times modifications are made to optimize the itinerary, enhance the guest experience or accommodate certain circumstances.”

Your cruise was canceled: Now what?

Guests whose cruises were impacted were given full refunds of their fare and a 10% discount in the form of a future cruise credit. The credit can be used on any of Norwegian’s published itineraries through Dec. 31, 2025.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].