Norway cruise ship arrives in port after airlift drama

 Norway cruise ship

24 Mar 2019; DW: The Viking Sky cruise ship that lost power off the coast of Norway arrived at a nearby port on Sunday after three of the vessel's four engines were restarted.

Rescuers said two tug boats aided the vessel as it navigated toward the town of Molde, more than 24 hours after an evacuation order was issued when the ship lost engine power in stormy weather.

The ship's owner reported that 479 of the ship's 1,373 passengers and crew had been airlifted to shore before the ship departed Hustadvika Bay.

The ship's crew had sent an SOS message on Saturday after running into trouble in an area off the Norwegian coastline known for its rough, treacherous waters. 

Footage showed furniture and other fixtures sliding around the vessel, as parts of the ceiling came down.

Officials said the crew, fearing that the ship might run aground, managed to anchor about 2 kilometers (1.24 miles) from land.

Some 17 of those rescued were taken to hospital. The Norwegian Red Cross said in a statement that many of them had been traumatized by the experience.