stranding of a ship loaded with armaments for Poland

A ship loaded with weapons destined for an important Polish logistics platform for the delivery of military aid to Ukraine ran aground Thursday evening off the coast of Norway, authorities said on Friday. The Norwegian Ministry of Defense announced on Monday the sending of F-35 fighter planes, a NASAMS anti-aircraft defense system and around a hundred soldiers to protect, as part of a rotation of the countries of the 'NATO, the hub of Rzeszow.

It is through this logistical node in the south-east of Poland that a large part of Western military aid intended for Ukraine passes, which has been trying to repel a large-scale invasion led by Russia since February 2022. On Thursday evening, a civilian ship carrying some Norwegian equipment, the Finlandia Seaways, hit the seabed in southwest Norway.

“There was nothing dramatic”

“The vessel hit a shoal and suffered damage to the rudder and propeller. It had to be assisted by tugboats to be transported to the dock.Thomas Breivoll, spokesperson for the Sola Rescue Center (southwest), told AFP. “There was nothing dramatic”he assured.

According to Hanne Olafsen, spokesperson for the Joint Headquarters of the Norwegian Armed Forces, the ship was carrying “elements of anti-aircraft equipment destined for Poland”. “This will undoubtedly cause a slight delay” in the deployment of the Norwegian contingent, she told AFP. Equipment on board the Finlandia Seaways must be transferred to another vessel. The surrounding area has been secured.