Team Herald
MARGAO: Fourteen Goans, most from Salcete, had a harrowing experience as the cruiseliner Viking Sky, on which they were working on, experienced engine failure and to add to their woes they had to face the stormy weather in the treacherous waters of Hustadvika, Norway.
The cruise liner lost power and started drifting on Saturday afternoon two kilometres off a stretch of Norwegian coastline, notorious for shipwrecks. The captain sent out a Mayday, prompting the authorities to launch the airlift in difficult conditions.
At the time of the incident, the vessel had onboard 915 passengers, who were mostly from the United Kingdom and United States of America with a few Australians too.
While 479 passengers were evacuated by helicopters in a rescue operation from the choppy sea, the ship escorted by tugboats succeeded in reaching the port of Molde, Norway with 900 people on it. There were 14 Goans working on the ship and all of them are safe and sound though they had a harrowing experience.
Dixon Vas, spokesperson of Goan Seafarers Association of India, spoke to a crew member and disclosed that all Goans on the cruise liner are safe and sound. He is also in touch with the recruiting agency Airbone Recruiting Agency Pvt Ltd that is managing the affairs of the liner.
