By Sarah Keoghan
The parents of an Australian actor who are stranded onboard the Ocean Explorer say the ship is “well and truly stuck” after the latest attempt to free the luxury cruise liner was unsuccessful.
Adelaide couple Chris and Tashi Lachman.Credit: Facebook
Dichen Lachman in Dollhouse.Credit:
The ship ran aground in the Alpefjord National Park, about 1400 kilometres north-east of Greenland’s capital Nuuk, on Monday. It is carrying 206 passengers, mostly Australians.
The Adelaide parents of Severance actor Dichen Lachman, Chris and Tashi, told this masthead passengers are still not entirely certain what has caused the ship to run aground.
“At some point in the afternoon we felt a huge continuous shudder which we assumed was the anchor being pulled up,” Chris said.
“We were informed by the captain that we had collided with an uncharted underwater obstacle – perhaps the underwater tongue of the moraine from the adjacent glacier, but we can’t be sure.
The Ocean Explorer has 206 passengers on board, including about 90 Australians. Credit: Joint Arctic Command
“The captain tried a few manoeuvres to get us off, but presently we are well and truly stuck.”
A large fishing trawler was brought in on Wednesday morning (local time) to try to free the ship during high tide but failed, the Danish military’s Joint Arctic Command said.
The ship is now stuck until at least Saturday morning (AEST) when the nearest Danish navy patrol boat, Knud Rasmussen, is due to arrive to conduct another attempt.
Multiple COVID-19 cases have been reported on board the cruise ship.
HDMS Knud Rasmussen is being brought in to help free the tourist ship. Credit: Alamy
Chris and Tashi Lachman seeing Jurassic World Dominion with daughter Dichen, in which she features. Credit: Instagram/@dichenlachman
Lachman’s mother Tashi runs a travel agency, Thor Travel, out of Adelaide and is on board with 12 passengers.
The pair said they have also been in touch with the Australian ambassador in Copenhagen, who has been “very supportive”.
“We are in excellent hands and will wait and see what happens today,” she said.
The Danish military’s Joint Arctic Command says the ship is stuck on a mix of sediment, sand and silt left by a nearby glacier, which is exerting suction on the vessel and proving difficult to break.
Dichen Lachman’s acting credits include Ms Casey in the TV show Severance and a starring role in Jurassic World Dominion. She also played Katya Kinski in Neighbours early in her career.
The 22-day Northern Lights Explorer cruise set off on September 1 from the port of Kirkenes in Norway. Cruise operator Aurora Expeditions states the cost of the cruise was $32,195.
One of the 30-day cruises offered by Aurora costs more than $US33,000 ($51,000) per person, according to its website.
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