A powerful wave likely caused the Viking ship replica to capsize earlier this week off Norway’s coast, resulting in the death of a U.S. citizen, police reported on Thursday. They described the incident as a “tragic accident” and confirmed it did not involve any criminal activity.
The wooden replica, named Naddodd, was on a journey across the North Atlantic from the Faeroe Islands to Norway with an international crew of six. The 33-foot, double-masted vessel, crafted in the Faeroes, began its voyage on Saturday from the islands situated between Scotland and Iceland.
On Tuesday, the ship encountered strong winds and high waves. Late that night, it capsized near the coastal town of Stad, approximately 215 miles from Oslo. According to survivors, the weather conditions “suddenly turned significantly worse than predicted,” with waves reaching up to 16 feet.
Five of the crew members managed to board an inflatable life raft and were later rescued by helicopter. Unfortunately, a sixth crew member, trapped beneath the vessel, drowned. Authorities recovered the victim’s body on Wednesday.
Although police withheld the victim’s identity, Norwegian and Faeroese media identified her as 29-year-old archaeologist Karla Dana from Florida. Dana had expressed her excitement about the expedition on her LinkedIn profile, stating she was “thrilled to be a part of this crew, fearlessly embarking on this Nordic voyage on a Viking ship replica across the North Sea, pushing through physical and mental limits to sail into history.”
