Norwegian frigate Helge Ingstad is understood to be listing heavily after collision with a tanker.

Local media are reporting that the vessel was deliberately run aground at port in Norway in order to prevent sinking.

The 127 crew has been evacuated, 8 members of the crew are understood to have suffered injuries.

Eirik Walle, of Norway’s rescue centre, told Norwegian news agency NTB that the collision caused an opening in the frigate’s hull and “it is taking in more water than they can pump out. There is no control over the leak and the stern is heavily in the sea.”

Johan Marius Ly of the Norwegian Coast Guard said the 134-meter (442-foot) -long frigate was listing, adding “we have been told that there is a leak from the frigate. It should be a helicopter fuel, but the extent of leakage is unknown.”

The class are the main surface combatants of the Royal Norwegian Navy. The ships are named after famous Norwegian explorers, with the lead ship of the class bearing the name of Fridtjof Nansen.

Five ships were ordered from Spanish shipbuilder Bazan at a cost of $2.54 billion.

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George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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Lee1
Lee1
5 years ago

I hope all involved recover well…

T.S
5 years ago

A reminder of how fragile frigates really are in comparison to the old battleships. If a collision can do this to a warship, what could a modern antiship missile do with a 1000lb warhead? Game over.

BB85
BB85
5 years ago
Reply to  T.S

What did it collide with a rock? I’m no expert but it still seems a bit worrying that this could be enough to sink a modern frigate. Are there not enough bulkheads below the waterline that will seal the impacted compartments? These things are supposed to be built with the expectation of a hull breach.

Gunbuster
Gunbuster
5 years ago
Reply to  T.S

All of the recent (Post Falklands) damage to UK frigates and destroyers has come from groundings and collisions. These have been when the ships have been doing there general business sailing around on the ocean. The exception was Southampton who was at a higher Damage Control state because she was doing Tanker Convoy escorting in the Gulf. Having a 1k lb warhead come inboard is a lot different. Chances are you would be at action stations or defense watches. You would know if it was inbound unlike the rocks Brazen and Nottingham hit. The ship would be in the highest… Read more »

Frank62
Frank62
5 years ago
Reply to  Gunbuster

Sadly the fashion of defence on the cheap could cost us very dear in lives. Giving ordinary people decent careers in the military is essential to properly man our ships. Cutting manpower is very short sighted as Gunbuster correctly points out.

Steve Taylor
Steve Taylor
5 years ago
Reply to  T.S

I would say a good chance of mission kill, but as long as watertight integrity is maintained and the crew have their DC down then there would be a chance the hull could survive. The USS Stark took two Exocet in the Gulf and survived. What took Sheffield down was water from the fighting not the initial missile strike. A big hull like a Daring would do well if it hit somewhere not too vital (everywhere is vital). There are things too. Provision of pumps is vital as well as fuel to run them. Sprinklers and not depending on a… Read more »

Gunbuster
Gunbuster
5 years ago
Reply to  Steve Taylor

Post Falklands, UK new warships had most of the systems divided up around the ship. Fire pumps, air compressors, fire main, chilled water, data networks etc. They are all separate and isolated from the next system at action stations. If it all goes wrong you can cross connect, bridge or breach the systems to get capability back to the damaged area. The RN spends a lot of time and effort in training and practicing Battle Damage Repair and Damage Control. You need to know the systems, the fuse boxes, valves, secondary supplies etc so that you can restore some if… Read more »

Callum
Callum
5 years ago
Reply to  T.S

Even old battleships suffered from being rammed or running aground. Being rammed by a tanker that outweighs you 10 to 1 would ruin any ships day

Fedaykin
Fedaykin
5 years ago

In light of this development, RFA Diligence was retired without replacement discuss…

RG
RG
5 years ago
Reply to  Fedaykin

I don’t think Diligence could do much for her. She lacked the high capacity pumps it would take to get enough water out so damage control could take place.
I’m just guessing from the pictures, but if the crew have closed down all the damaged compartments (which I’m confident they will have), then she has lost too much buoyancy through bilging. I suspect in open water, she’d have capsized or sunk before anything could be achieved.

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
5 years ago
Reply to  Fedaykin

Cuts. Just like all the rest.

RichardG
RichardG
5 years ago
Reply to  Fedaykin

As important as it is for Dili to be replaced, saving this ship would have been beyond her capabilities.

Sid Morley
Sid Morley
5 years ago

Not replacing RFA Diligence – one of the most stupid defense decisions ever.

Lusty
Lusty
5 years ago

Looks like the stern is now completely underwater, with a heavy list developing. Some stellar work by the crew/tug crews, but it looks like they may be fighting a losing battle.

Thoughts to our Norwegian colleagues.

Daniele Mandelli
Daniele Mandelli
5 years ago
Reply to  Lusty

Can HMG assist at all? Norway one of UKs closest allies.

RichardG
RichardG
5 years ago

It’s a job for a proffesional salvage company. The only reason the ship is not a new chart correction is because the CO got her aground in time.

The Snowman
The Snowman
5 years ago

I would imagine whatever assets we have in the area will have been offered, but probably nothing the Norwegians haven’t already got close by. Isn’t salvage one of Norway’s areas of expertise?

Lee1
Lee1
5 years ago
Reply to  Lusty

The last photo I saw showed the ship almost entirely on its side… I am not sure if a low tide can help them get it re-floated but the gash seems to be enormous at almost half the length of the ship!

The Snowman
The Snowman
5 years ago
Reply to  Lee1

Not sure refloating is what they have planned if it has a ruddy great hole in the side. I fear it’s not going anywhere until they plug that. If it can be kept in place, would the next step be a very large barge with a crane?

captain P Wash.
captain P Wash.
5 years ago
Reply to  The Snowman

I hear the Russians have a Fully submersible Dry Dock/Barge !

Lee1
Lee1
5 years ago

It only goes down though…

RichardG
RichardG
5 years ago
Reply to  Lee1

The salvors will get her secure in position, pump out any oil and ensure her munitions are removed.
She’s lost a lot of buoyancy so she either needs patching and pumping out or buoyancy devices fitted. I suspect the latter.

OOA
OOA
5 years ago

If anyone can save her, the Norwegians can. I used to run a marine heavy-lift contract there and they (and the Dutch) are good at it. Depending on where up the coast it happened, they’ll also have ready access to lots of offshore industry assets. Fingers crossed.

Hoping the injured are ok but wondering who screwed up

Nigel Collins
Nigel Collins
5 years ago
captain P Wash.
captain P Wash.
5 years ago

Looking on YouTube, there seems to be damage to the Port Side in one Picture and the same on the Starboard side in another. Confused Much Am I.

captain P Wash.
captain P Wash.
5 years ago

Having Studied all the Pictures including the YouTube footage, It appears that one Image has been posted back to front or the negative has been reversed. Confused no longer am I.
Hope everyone Is Ok.

Grubbie
Grubbie
5 years ago

There’s film on BBC of what appears to have a tug trying to nudge her off a rock. Looking at the state of her afterwards this may not have been a good idea.

expat
expat
5 years ago
Reply to  Grubbie

Yeah just seen the same footage, didn’t look like the smartest move.

keithdwat
keithdwat
5 years ago
Reply to  Grubbie

Yes it would appear they made things a lot worse, I assume she slipped of the rock or something she was leaning on! very sad state of affairs, if they recover her, its likely to be a very expensive fix, i imagine she’ll be used as parts for the future!

MickT
MickT
5 years ago

It will be cheaper to replace her than salvage and repair I fear,

paul
paul
5 years ago

Have the navies of the world stopped using multiple lookouts on the deck? How do u not see an oil tank approaching??

Gunbuster
Gunbuster
5 years ago

Looking at pictures of the damage to the hull it would appear that at least one machinery space, probably two was open to sea. If that’s the case you are not going to stay afloat. The spaces are two big and the loss of buoyancy to great. The tankers bulbous bow looks like it went into the ship towards the stern and then moved forward so there will be extensive damage to the underwater hull probably as far down as the keel and there will be a good chance that at least one stern seal let go on a shaft… Read more »

expat
expat
5 years ago
Reply to  Gunbuster

Some pics of the HMS Southampton incident.

https://twitter.com/onthisdayrn/status/1036473707995246592

propellerman
5 years ago
Reply to  Gunbuster

I back up what gunbuster states – most likely both stbd machinery spaces flooded leaving you no spare buoyancy to do undertake any counter flooding. the stern tube seal would have had an emergency inflatable seal but you have to be there to inflate it – in this case not possible. the hull plating would be the same or less in thickness than the bulbous bow so no chance of withstanding the inertia of the tanker hitting it. an already damaged bulkhead may have let go later as the hull flexed on the rocks with the tidal movement and that… Read more »

Gunbuster
Gunbuster
5 years ago
Reply to  Gunbuster

Having seen some more pictures it looks like the tanker was loaded. The gash down the side that is visible above the water line looks like it came from the tankers anchor horn which allows the anchor to be dropped and miss the bulbous bow.
In that case the underwater damage from the bulbous bow will be extensive.

Pacman27
Pacman27
5 years ago

It has to be said these are very modern and well respected frigates. the Captain seems to have saved many lives by his courageous actions.

I do think the RN would benefit from owning a small fleet of Float on Float off vessels. Great article on TD the goes into a lot of detail on these really versatile ships, and they could even earn the RN money when not in use as I believe there is a lack of capacity at certain times of the year.

Gunbuster
Gunbuster
5 years ago

Latest info has the Frigate sailing with AIS/ WAIS ((Warship) Auto Identification System) off which meant the shore based traffic control station did not have course and speed info appearing on its displays.
The Tanker was calling warnings but it appears that there was confusion on the bridge of the frigate and they failed to heed the warnings.
The engine room/machinery space is open to the sea and they are going to try to seal it up, pump out and then heavy lift the ship for repair.