Greenland cruise ship finally free after mud nightmare

• Luxury cruise ship Ocean Explorer stranded in mud and silt above Arctic Circle
• 206 passengers and crew rescued by Greenland research trawler
• The ship suffered no hull breach or environmental pollution

After being stranded in the mud in Greenland since Monday, a luxury cruise ship, the Ocean Explorer, has finally been successfully freed.

The vessel, along with its 206 passengers and crew, was rescued on Thursday by a research trawler from Greenland, while it was grounded within the Northeast Greenland National Park.

SunStone, the owner of the ship, confirmed that there were no injuries among those on board.

However, Aurora Expeditions, the tour operator, reported that a small number of individuals had contracted Covid-19 during the ordeal.

The Ocean Explorer became lodged in mud and silt above the Arctic Circle in Alpefjord, located 1,400 kilometers (870 miles) northeast of Greenland’s capital, Nuuk.

Several attempts were made to dislodge the ship during high tide, but they proved unsuccessful.

The Danish military’s Joint Arctic Command had scheduled an inspection vessel to arrive at the scene on Friday.

Ultimately, the ship was freed through a combined effort involving a pull from a Greenland government-owned trawler named Tarajoq, which means “salt” in Greenlandic, as well as the Ocean Explorer’s power.

It was confirmed that there was no environmental pollution and no hull breach during the incident.

The cruise, operated by an Australian tour company, had a total of 112 passengers and 94 crew members.

The journey commenced on September 2nd in Norway and was originally scheduled to conclude on September 22nd.

Passengers on board the Ocean Explorer hailed from various countries, including Australia, New Zealand, the UK, South Korea, and the US. Steven Fraser and Gina Hill, a retired couple among the passengers, noted that despite being stranded, the morale of the passengers remained high.

Earlier in the week, Aurora Expeditions reported that three individuals had tested positive for the virus and were being isolated.

The Northeast Greenland National Park is approximately equivalent in size to the combined land area of France and Spain. It is renowned for its stunning fjords, majestic icebergs, and towering mountains.

Furthermore, this expansive park serves as the habitat for diverse wildlife, including polar bears, muskoxen, and the elusive narwhal.