Unmanned boat triggers major rescue operation in Øygarden
Emergency Response Deployed in Hjeltefjorden After Unmanned Boat Discovery
A major rescue operation was launched in Hjeltefjorden within Øygarden municipality at approximately 7:00 PM on Monday, October 5, 2026, after an open white boat of an older model measuring roughly 16 feet was spotted drifting near Tjeldstø with its motor running and nobody on board, according to Bergensavisen.
The unfolding maritime mystery prompted a swift and extensive mobilization of emergency resources across the region. Hovedredningssentralen, which led the coordination efforts, dispatched multiple assets alongside emergency services. The response fleet included a rescue helicopter sent from Florø, an air ambulance, three rescue vessels, a coast guard ship named Bison, and boats operated by the local fire department and the Red Cross, according to Bergensavisen and NRK.
Search Operations Expand Amid Complex Weather and Darkness
As the operation intensified into the evening hours, authorities expanded the search parameters to cover both open water and nearby shorelines. NRK noted that strong winds and deteriorating weather conditions made the rescue effort increasingly demanding.
Compounding the urgency of the response, rescue leader Hans Jakob Gulliksen at Hovedredningssentralen noted that items were found on board the drifting vessel. According to Bergensavisen and Bergens Tidende, Gulliksen stated that the presence of items on the boat strongly indicated it had been actively in use, raising concerns that an occupant might have fallen overboard. By 8:00 PM, police and rescue coordinators were actively mobilizing land-based teams as darkness began to fall over the rugged coastline, complicating visibility and search complexity.
Boat Owner Comes Forward and Ends the Operation
The multi-agency mobilization came to an abrupt halt just after 9:00 PM when the situation was successfully resolved. Police operations officer Frode Kolltveit in the Western Police District announced that a man in his 60s had contacted authorities to report that the drifting vessel belonged to him, according to Bergensavisen and Nettavisen.
Details provided by police incident commander Ole Marius Røttingen clarified how the vessel came to be adrift. The owner explained that he had used the boat earlier that day and left it moored by a dock near his cabin at around 5:00 PM with the motor running. Approximately an hour and a half later, the boat broke away from its mooring and drifted out to sea where a local resident spotted it, brought it ashore, and alerted authorities. Police confirmed that no individuals were reported missing in the area, and the extensive rescue operation was officially concluded around 9:30 PM.