Norway: Cruise ship in danger of tilting over

The MS Nordlys cruise liner lists at the quay side in Aalesund, Norway early Friday. An intense fire in a cruise ship's engine room has killed two crewmen, injured nine others and forced more than 200 passengers to evacuate the popular cruise off Norway's craggy western coast. AP

OSLO, Norway—Rescue teams pumped water from the hull of a Norwegian cruise ship that was listing dangerously Friday, a day after fire on board killed two crew and forced the evacuation of 260 other people, officials said.

Police Chief Jon Steven Hasseldal said the ship was listing at an angle of 21.7 degrees, which is over what is considered a critical line of 20 degrees.

“But we consider it safe enough to send in a team to place a pump inside,” Hasseldal told The Associated Press.

On Thursday, fire in the vessel’s engine room caused the evacuation of the ship before it was due to dock at Aalesund, 230 miles (375 kilometers) northwest of the capital of Oslo.

All 207 passengers were evacuated safely into lifeboats or after the ship docked in port. Two crewmen were found dead in the engine room. Nine others were taken to hospital, two with serious injuries. Three rescue workers were treated for smoke inhalation.

The MS Nordlys, which sailed from Bergen, further south on Norway’s craggy western coast, is one of several ships used by the Hurtigruten line on the popular 1,500-mile (2,500-kilometer) cruise to the northern town of Kirkenes, high above the Arctic Circle and near the Russian border.