Viking Ocean Cruises is facing a $10m class-action lawsuit on behalf of passengers on a ship that was at the centre of a rescue drama after running into foul weather off Norway in March.
The Torstein Hagen-owned company's 944-berth Viking Sky (built 2017) lost engine power off Hustadvika on the afternoon of 23 March, prompting the airlift of 479 passengers to land. About 20 others were taken to hospital for injuries.
About 900 passengers were still on the ship when it reached Norway's port of Molde the following day under its own power. Hagen flew to the port to meet and talk with passengers.
The 27-page suit, lodged by married plaintiffs Axel and Lauren Freudmann in Los Angeles County Superior Court, alleges that Viking Sky's crew failed to heed forecasts aired several days before for an "intense cyclone" over western Norway.
"Defendants Viking knew or should have known of these Storm 10 gale force winds, but nonetheless, the Viking Sky left Tromso, Norway, on March 21, 2019, intending to sail to Stavenger, Norway, carrying more than 1,000 paying passengers," the suit states.
No comment on lawsuit
Viking Ocean Cruises, which declined to comment on the lawsuit, said it reimbursed all passengers for the cost of the cruise and airfare.
The company also said it gave each passenger a future cruise voucher equal to the amount paid for the disrupted cruise, good for five years, and an invitation to join Hagen for the maiden cruise of Viking’s newest ocean ship in early 2021 at Viking’s expense.
"Since the letter was sent Viking has refunded all cruise and air fare and is continuing to process reimbursement of other expenses as received," a company spokesperson said.
'This is not a drill'
Allegedly, the passengers were not informed of the pending violent weather, other than being told "this is not a drill, go to muster stations" after the ship's engines failed.
The suit alleges that the ship was "battered and tossed" as it was pushed dangerously close toward hazardous reefs.
A mayday call was issued as passengers were "tossed about like ragdolls" while Viking tried to launch a high-risk evacuation of the ship's 1,300 passengers and crew by helicopter, the suite alleges.
"Passengers, fearing for their lives, held onto whatever they could find while water rushed in through numerous other areas of the vessel," the suit states.
"Furniture was overturned and tossed throughout the vessel; broken glass littered all levels of the vessel; elevators were inoperable; waves crashed through open and/or shattered balcony doors."
Nightmares
As a result, passengers were subjected to "hours of terror, unsanitary conditions, lack of ventilation and trauma," all of which Viking could have avoided by waiting for the storm to pass or sailing around it, the suit alleges.
"As a result of defendant Viking's negligence, passengers sustained physical and emotional injuries," according to the suit.
Because of the accident, passengers have allegedly suffered from severe mental and emotional distress as well as physical effects such as sickness, nausea, exhaustion, headaches, lack of sleep and nightmares.
The Freudmanns have suffered bodily injuries that have led to numerous negative consequences, including impairment, mental anguish, lost wages and medical costs, the suit says.
