The cruise ship Marco Polo resumed a Northern Lights cruise at the weekend after running aground off Norway with more than 750 mainly British passengers on board.
The vessel was dropping anchor during high winds near Leknes in Norway’s Lofoten Islands on Saturday when it got stuck in soft mud, according to operator Cruise & Maritime Voyages.
The ship is on 14-night itinerary to Norway and the Land of the Northern Lights with 763 passengers on board.
CMV said in a statement that due to adverse wind conditions experienced by Marco Polo when approaching its berth in Leknes, it was decided to take anchor in the interests of safety.
“Whilst manoeuvring and as the tide was retreating, the ship touched a mud bank and became lodged. A subsequent inspection by divers has revealed that there has been no damage to the vessel’s hull or propulsion systems,” the company said.
“Marco Polo has now been successfully manouvered off the mud bank with the assistance of the evening high water tide and has now resumed her 14-night voyage to Norway and the Land of the Northern Lights en-route to Alta.
“There has been no oil pollution arising out of the incident and none of the 763 mainly British passengers or crew have been injured.
“Passengers wishing to go ashore were transferred by tender and the local tour programme continued as scheduled.”
CMV commercial director, Chris Coates, said: “The comfort and safety of our passengers is our top priority. Our passengers have been fully updated of the situation.”