Ship happens: Man awakes to find 443-foot cargo vessel ran aground in his backyard
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When Johan Helberg said he wanted a waterfront view, he didn’t expect the waterfront to come to him complete with a 443-foot cargo ship.

Helberg awoke on Thursday to discover the massive bow of the NCL Salten resting a stone’s throw from his home in Byneset, Norway, near Trondheim. 

The vessel had run aground in the early hours, narrowly missing Helberg’s house by approximately 16 feet.

Container ship ran aground next to Norwegian man's house

The container ship NCL Salten is seen next to Johan Helberg’s house after the massive ship ran aground in Norway on Thursday. (Jan Langhaug/NTB Scanpix via AP)

The officer has been charged with negligent navigation. No injuries or oil spills were reported, but the incident did cause minor damage to a heating pump’s wire on Helberg’s property.

And this isn’t NCL Salten’s first grounding. The ship previously ran aground in 2023, but managed to free itself without assistance.

Efforts to refloat the ship during high tide on Thursday were unsuccessful. 

NCL container ship ran aground in man's garden

A massive container ship ran ashore in Norway, nearly hitting a house. (Jan Langhaug/NTB/AFP via Getty Images)

The Norwegian Coastal Administration is conducting geotechnical assessments before making another attempt. Shipping company NCL has stated it is cooperating with the investigation.

As for Helberg, he remains in good spirits despite the unexpected intrusion. 

“It’s a very bulky new neighbor, but it will soon go away,” he quipped.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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