24 March

Efforts are continuing to evacuate about 1,300 people from a luxury cruise ship that got stranded off southwestern Norway.

The nine-deck vessel suffered engine failure on Saturday about 2 kilometers off the coast.

Norwegian weather officials say there were winds of more than 72 kilometers per hour and waves of up to 8 meters in the area at the time. Local media are reporting that the bad weather led to the engine problems.

Footage shows sofas and other furniture sliding from side to side in the rocking vessel, and parts of the ceiling falling down. A video also shows broken windows and seawater flowing in around the feet of passengers in life jackets. Reports say eight people have been injured so far, and rescuers are using helicopters to airlift the passengers and crew members.

A rescue service spokesperson says the cruise ship may start heading for a nearby harbor, as the weather is improving and one of the ship's four engines has been restarted.—NHK