Viking Line ferry runs aground in Finland’s Åland region

A Ro-Pax ferry operated by Finland’s Viking Line ran aground in the country’s Åland Islands autonomous region in the Baltic Sea on Sunday, September 20.

The grounding occurred at approximately 12:50 local time as the 171-metre Amorella was sailing from Turku to Stockholm with nearly 200 passengers, 80 crew, and 40 trucks on board.

The Finnish Border Guard has since evacuated all of Amorella‘s passengers and crew as the damage to the vessel is being assessed before it will be refloated and towed to a shipyard for repairs. Oil containment booms have also been placed around the vessel though no signs of pollution have been seen.

Border guard officials said that, shortly after the ferry made bottom contact, it was deliberately beached by the crew to keep it upright.

The incident remains under investigation.