Emergency services respond to overheating incident on Havila Polaris cruise ship in Stranda

Emergency services responded to the Havila Polaris cruise ship in Stranda, Sunnmøre, following reports of overheating in its propulsion system around 1:15 PM. The ship was entering Geirangerfjord when the alert was raised.

Lasse A. Vangstein, Communications and Marketing Director for Havila Kystruten, confirmed that the ship was directed to dock in Stranda for the safety of over 400 passengers and crew members. Upon arrival, evacuation procedures commenced, and shortly after 2 PM, the main rescue center reported that the onboard fire was extinguished, with all passengers evacuated by around 2:15 PM.

Terje Erstad, one of the passengers, recounted the experience, explaining that they lost propulsion near Liabygda, followed by alarms prompting crew members to gather. Initially informed that smoke was detected but under control, they were later instructed to evacuate and gather on one of the decks. Erstad described the situation as uneventful, although he noted a strong smell of smoke upon reaching the dock in Stranda.

Another pair of passengers, Arild Myrseth and Kjellrunn Hole, reported being directed to the sixth deck and noticed a burnt smell, yet they remained calm due to their proximity to land.

Vangstein confirmed that there were no reports of injuries, although the cause of the overheating is still being investigated. The ship’s operational plans include moving to another dock for better safety management. The ferry service between Stranda and Liabygda is suspended until further notice due to the ship blocking the ferry terminal.