Luxury cruise ship in Arctic freed after three test positive for COVID

21 Sep 2023 CW Team

The 341-foot cruise luxury cruise ship stranded for days in the freezing Arctic after running aground off the coast of Greenland was finally freed amid fears of a potential COVID-19 outbreak on board. The Ocean Explorer, carrying 206 passengers and crew, got stuck in the mud a few days ago in the waters about 870 miles from Greenland’s capital Nuuk. A fishing research vessel managed to dislodge the liner, whose mostly elderly passengers had paid $33,000 for the 21-day cruise.
Three people aboard the Ocean Explorer who had tested positive for COVID-19 were placed in isolation. They are currently recuperating.
The Ocean Explorer’s crew made two failed attempts to get the vessel to float free on its own during high tide — fuelling fears that it would be stranded for an extended period of time. The nearest Danish navy vessels were days away and bad weather delayed an inspection of the ship from arriving until Friday evening at the earliest. However fishing vessel Tarajoq, owned by Greenland’s government, managed to help pull the massive cruise ship out of the mud and silt that had immobilised it. The vessel and its passengers will now be positioned to a port where the vessel’s bottom damages can be assessed and the passengers will be taken to a port from which they can be flown back home

Infrastructure Transport

06 Feb 2026

Lucknow Metro East-West Corridor Consultancy Contract Awarded

The Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation has awarded the first construction-related consultancy contract for the Lucknow Metro East West Corridor to a joint venture of AYESA Ingenieria Arquitectura SAU and AYESA India Pvt Ltd. The firm was declared the lowest bidder for the Detailed Design Consultant contract for Lucknow Metro Line-2 under Phase 1B and the contract was recommended following the financial bid. The contract is valued at Rs 159.0 million (mn), covering design services for the corridor. Lucknow Metro Line-2 envisages the construction of an 11.165 kilometre corridor connecting Cha..

Div Com Kashmir Urges Fast Tracking Of Jhelum Water Transport Project

The Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir has called for the fast-tracking of the Jhelum water transport project, urging district administrations and relevant agencies to accelerate planning and clearances. In a meeting convened at the divisional headquarters, the commissioner instructed officials from irrigation, public health engineering and municipal departments to prioritise the project and coordinate survey and design work. The directive emphasised removal of administrative bottlenecks and close monitoring to ensure timely mobilisation of resources and contractors. Officials were told to in..

Interarch Reports Strong Q3 And Nine Month Results

Interarch Building Solutions Limited reported unaudited results for the third quarter and nine months ended 31 December 2025, recording strong revenue growth driven by execution and a robust order book. Net revenue for the third quarter rose by 43.7 per cent to Rs 5.225 billion (bn), compared with Rs 3.636 bn a year earlier, reflecting heightened demand in pre-engineered building projects. The company’s total order book as at 31 January 2026 stood at Rs 16.85 bn, supporting near-term visibility. EBITDA excluding other income for the quarter increased by 43.2 per cent to Rs 503 million (mn),..