Helge Ingstad collision
The Helge Ingstad collision was a ship collision between the Norwegian frigate Helge Ingstad and the Maltese tanker Sola TS. The accident happened on the night of 8 November 2018 in the Hjeltefjorden north of the Sture Terminal in Øygarden.
Norwegian navy ship HNoMS Helge Ingstad being salvaged by floating cranes at Hanøytangen, Askøy | |
| Date | November 8, 2018 |
|---|---|
| Location | Hjeltefjorden, Norway |
| Coordinates | 60°37′51″N 4°50′49″E |
| Cause | a range of operational, technical, organisational and systemic factors |
| Non-fatal injuries | 8 |
The frigate was assigned to Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 and was with the group on its way to Dundee in Scotland after the Exercise Trident Juncture 2018. The frigate broke out of formation on the evening of 7 November to sail along the coast. The plan was to head west towards Scotland north of Haugesund. In Hjeltefjorden, the frigate collided with Sola TS, which was on its way to the United Kingdom with crude oil.
An attempt was made to ground the frigate, but it sank and lay in shallow water until it was raised on 27 February 2019. The tanker suffered no major damage. Eight people on board the frigate were injured in the accident, none of them seriously.
After thorough investigations, it was decided that it was unprofitable to repair the ship; and in February 2021, Helge Ingstad was towed to Hanøytangen for recycling.