US tourist dies in Viking voyage sinking off Norway

An American woman has died after the replica boat she was in capsized in rough seas during an expedition from the Faroe Islands to Norway.

Six people were on board the Naddoddur when it got into trouble on Tuesday evening, on the fourth day of the trip, and a distress signal was sent.

Only five people managed to get into an inflatable life raft. They were later airlifted to safety by helicopter.

A woman’s body was eventually found on Wednesday morning not far from where the boat sank.

Norway’s Sea Rescue Society (NSSR) described conditions west of the town of Stad at the time as very demanding, posting a video of the strong winds and high sea.

It said waves were up to 5m (16ft) and winds were as much as 40 knots.

Bergur Jacobsen, who is chairman of the Naddoddur boat club on the Faroe Islands, told the BBC that everyone was very sad about what had happened.

He explained that the 10m-long boat had been on previous Viking voyages before to Iceland, Shetland and Norway.

“It’s not a Viking boat, it’s a Faroes fishing boat without a motor but with sails.”

He said he could not speak about the accident as a Norwegian investigation team was due to speak to him.

Locals were said to be in shock at what happened. One seaman told the BBC that visitors were keen to go on expeditions with the boat, although he would not have done so himself.

The expedition had been postponed for several days because of bad weather until Saturday.

One of four Swiss nationals on the trip, Andy Fitze, posted a map on social media two days into the voyage showing the boat to the north-east of Shetland.

Before the trip, the Faroese member of the crew, Livar Nysted, said when you were in the middle of a storm “you just try to do the best you can”.

“It’s an open boat. You sleep under the stars and when it’s raining or windy you can feel the elements.”