COPENHAGEN, Denmark — A Bahamas-registered cruise liner that ran aground in northern Norway a few months ago did it again on Saturday, in sight of the pier where it was to be moored.
The Norwegian rescue services say passengers had been allowed to leave the “Marco Polo” cruise ship, which was carrying more than a thousand people when it ran aground in the Lofoten archipelago early Saturday.
A Norwegian pilot was onboard “Marco Polo” while two tugboats were trying to free the vessel by pushing it from starboard. A Norwegian coast guard vessel also arrived to assist.
Rescue officials say there were no injuries, and no damage to the ship has been found.
“Marco Polo” was chartered by Britain-based Cruise & Maritime Voyages and was cruising along Norway’s fjords when it ran aground. Passengers were chiefly from Britain while the nationalities of the crew was not immediately available, the rescue service said. The passengers left the cruise ship took part in a planned sightseeing on land.
Resident Karl Roger Johnsen told Norwegian broadcaster NRK he thought the ship took a chance by sailing close to the rocky coast on its way into the quay.
The same liner also ran aground briefly in a nearby archipelago in March, according to Norwegian media. The cause of that incident remained unclear.
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