How Did an American Archaeologist Die in a Replica Boat Tragedy?
Following an excursion from the Faroe Islands to Norway, an American archaeologist sadly perished when the replica boat she was riding capsized in choppy waves. Six people on board the Naddoddur were sent a distress signal when the ship entered terrible weather. Only five of the crew escaped onto an inflatable life raft; the party was subsequently rescued by helicopter. The dead woman’s body was found the following day close to the boat sinking location.
What Did the US State Department Say About the Incident?
Confirming the death of an American citizen “off the coast of Norway,” the US State Department withheld more information “out of respect for the privacy of the family.” The agency sent the family and loved ones of the departed its sincere sympathies—the victim, named by Norwegian media as Karla Dana, 29 years old.
What Was Karla Dana's Passion for Exploration and Archaeology?
Archaeologist Karla Dana concentrated on the Viking Age. Her varied experience included employment and study in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, Spain, England, Germany, Morocco, China, and Taiwan. In 2023, she joined The Explorers Club, a prestigious worldwide group committed to scientific exploration and discovery, Florida branch.
“Her death is a reminder that we make these dangerous expeditions and explorations look easy, but they are not,” said Joseph Dituri, head of the Florida chapter of The Explorers Club. He said, “This fearless adventurer left this earth doing what she loved entirely too early. Her enthusiasm for life and everything she did reflected her exploring attitude. Having her on our planet makes it a better one.
What Was Karla Dana's Final Endeavor?
Ms Dana had started a master’s degree in archaeology at the University of the Highland and Islands, Orkney Island campus, before her untimely death. “As she finished her first excavation unearthing Iron Age Viking artifacts in the Orkneys, Karla shared, ‘I’m happy to say I’m living out my dreams,'” Dr Dituri said.
Dana oversaw a project in Costa Rica earlier in her career, conducting an anthropological field study on the Ngöbe Indigenous Tribe. Her studies produced a book that included the tribe’s language, stories, and customs.
What Were the Conditions and Circumstances of the Tragedy?
Previously used on Viking trips to Iceland, Shetland, and Norway, the 10-meter-long boat known as the Naddoddur sank amid brutal weather. Naddoddur boat club chairman Bergur Jacobsen in the Faroe Islands expressed great sorrow over the event. “It’s a Faroese fishing boat without a motor but with sails, not a Viking boat,” he said.
With waves reaching up to five meters (16 feet) and gusts running at forty knots, the Norwegian Sea Rescue Society (NSSR) noted that the circumstances of the boat’s capsize were challenging. NSSR produced a film showing the extreme storms west of Stad.
How Did the Community Respond to the Accident?
The local response to the catastrophe was shock and gloom. One local fisherman said he would not have participated even if guests were ready to join boat adventures. Adverse weather had postponed the trip several days before it set off on Saturday.
Two days into the journey, Swiss citizen Andy Fitze, one of the four Swiss participants, uploaded a map on social media showing the boat northeast of Shetland. Faroese crew member Livar Nysted had remarked on the difficult circumstances before the trip, saying, “You just try to do the best you can when you are in the middle of a storm.” It’s a boat with open sides. You may feel the elements when you sleep under the stars and during a shower or windstorm.
