It appears that Poseidon is angry, given the immense number of accidents at sea in recent months—first, OceanGate’s ill-fated submarine expedition, and now the MV Ocean Explorer Cruise Ship running aground with 206 passengers. Fortunately, though, this particular expedition had a happy ending; as of Sept. 14, it has been successfully dislodged from its temporary resting place in Alpefjord, Greenland.
Three days prior, on Sept. 11, the ship lodged itself in Alpefjord of the Northeast Greenland National Park. This particular park is nearly as fascinating as the Explorer’s mishap, aside from being the world’s most northerly national park, it is also among the largest. It’s about as large as Spain and France together. Around 80% of its total surface area is coated in thick ice, making an 8,000-ton floating hotel all the more difficult to shift.
Perhaps one of the most intriguing questions is just how did such a gargantuan vessel manage to get stuck? There has been no definite response or analysis from authorities, or a statement from passengers, but it would appear that the police do not place the captain at fault. Officers dispatched by the Danish Maritime Authority to investigate the Explorer have not yet divulged the results of their inspection, but they have not charged any member of the navigation crew.
The ship began its cruise on Sept. 2 and was set to arrive at port on Sept. 22. While one might imagine being stuck in a grounded cruise ship to be unpleasant, it would appear that morale was generally very good on board the ship.
“Everyone’s in good spirits. It’s a little bit frustrating, but we are in a beautiful part of the world,” stated passenger Steven Fraser to “The Sydney Morning Herald.”
Another passenger told the “Independent” that her “biggest concern” was depleting the ship’s alcohol supply. Tracey Varga, yet another cruiser, reported a general lack of panic as recorded by CNN. Even the crew pitched in to keep travelers happy. Some of the crew taught an impromptu course on “towel origami.” Sounds like a new Olympic sport.
All that said, the journey was not without its woes; three people onboard managed to contract Covid during this time. The afflicted quarantined themselves at the behest of the crew, keeping the sickness from spreading to the remainder of the 206.
Prior to the final successful extraction on Thursday, three rescue expeditions had already been mounted—all failed. With the combined forces of skilled mariners and the aid of high tide, a fisheries research boat owned by the Greenland Institute of Natural Resources managed to pull the vessel free. The entire operation was coordinated by SunStone Ships, the proprietors of the Ocean explorer, and the Joint Arctic Command.
SunStone Ships released a statement pertaining to next steps, in which they mentioned that there was no harm dealt to the environment by the Explorer’s extended stay and that the passengers were unscathed along with the hull of the ship. Now, the Explorer, still seaworthy, and her inhabitants will set off to port, where the damage sustained by the ship’s underside can be assessed and the passengers can be flown home. Aurora Expeditions, the tour company that chartered the vessel, has given no statement on the situation.
