Key takeaways:
- The Norwegian cruise ship Ocean Explorer ran aground in Alpefjord, part of the Northeast Greenland National Park.
- The Joint Arctic Command is monitoring the situation and is working to ensure the safety of the passengers and crew, as well as assessing the environmental impact.
- The closest Danish navy ship is expected to arrive at the grounded ship as soon as Friday, but it is unclear how long it will take to remove the ship from the area.
A Bahamas-flagged Norwegian cruise ship with 206 passengers and crew ran aground in northwestern Greenland on Tuesday, according to the Joint Arctic Command. The ship, named Ocean Explorer, was in Alpefjord, part of the Northeast Greenland National Park, the world’s largest national park.
Brian Jensen, the Joint Arctic Command Commander, said in a statement that there is no immediate danger to human life or the environment, but that officials “take this incident very seriously.” The closest Danish navy ship is about 1,380 miles away and is expected to arrive at the grounded ship as soon as Friday.
The Ocean Explorer is a luxury cruise ship that is “purpose-built for expedition travel to the world’s most remote destinations” and is equipped with “cutting-edge technology” and “navigation capabilities.” According to Visit Greenland, the remote area is an area considered an “Arctic Desert” because annual rainfall is so low.
The Joint Arctic Command is continuing to monitor the situation and is working to ensure the safety of the passengers and crew. They are also assessing the environmental impact of the incident. It is unclear at this time how long it will take to remove the ship from the area.
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