Oil behind ship drama

A CRUISE ship that was the focus of a daring rescue operation off Norway’s frigid North Sea coast became disabled because its engines didn’t have enough oil to lubricate them.

Low oil levels were the “direct cause” of the engine failure that stranded the ship during a storm, said Lars Alvestad, of the Norwegian Maritime Authority. Sensors automatically shut down the Viking Sky’s engines to prevent a breakdown, he said. Dozens of passengers were injured and 36 admitted to hospital. Almost 500 were flown to safety.