Hordaland

Human failure was thought to have been the cause of the grouning of the "Hordaland" on Dec 7. The ferry was several hundred meters off course.It had been sailing between Årsnes and Varaldsøy in Kvinnherad and had 13 passengers and a crew of six on board who had to be evacuated. According to the ferry company Norled the navigator had been inattentive for several critical minutes. The ferry docked at the Halsnoy Dokk AS in Høylandsbygd for repairs on Dec 15 at 2 p.m.

The "Hordaland" was still berthed in Varaldsøy on Dec 8. Thought crews repaired the damage temporarily on Dec 7, it was not yete safe to take the ferry into deep water. The diving team will be in place again at 11 a.m. There was no timetable for when the ferry might be towed to a dock for repair. Until the ferry has been moved away, there was only passenger traffic between Gjermundshamn-Varaldsøy-Årsnes in Kvinnherad. The transfer between Gjermundshamn and Årsnes normally takes 20 minutes directly and 40 minutes if the ferry crosses Varaldsøy. At 10.45 pm. Norled announced that the ferry service could be resumed after the "Hordaland" was towed away to another dock. Norwegian report with photo: http://www.osogfusa.no/nyhende/dykkarar-fra-os-skal-inspisera-ferjeskrog-1.2207069

In the afternoon of Dec 7, ferry operator Norled had gained control of the situation and the damage to the "Hordaland" The leak was best possible patched, but still water had to be pumped out of the ferry. The hull breach was located by divers at 12.30 p.m. It was two to three meters long, five centimeters wide and was two meters below the waterline. The replacement ferry "Fitjar" was called from Gjermundshamn to Varaldsøy, and will take over the route as soon as the "Hordaland" has been towed away from the dock. Norwegian report with photo: https://grenda.no/leitar-etter-arsaka/