Authorities Rush to Help Grounded Norwegian Tourist Ship

On April 23, the tourist vessel Polarfront ran aground near Svalbard, Norway, with 25 people on board at the time of the incident.

The main rescue center was promptly notified, and the mayor quickly organized a response by sending police officers and a rescue helicopter to aid the stranded ship. 

A report from the Norwegian Coast Guard stated that fourteen individuals were rescued and transferred to the vessel KV Svalbard. The Polarfront was later refloated at high tide and proceeded towards Longyearbyen, Norway.

The Polarfront, a ship registered in France, was originally built in 1976 as a Norwegian weather ship. It was the last weather ship in operation globally for an extended period. In 2017, it was purchased by the French foundation Latitude Blanche and transformed into a cruise ship capable of carrying twelve passengers.