Crewman jumps off a badly listing cargo ship into the North Sea during helicopter rescue mission

Terrifying moment crewman jumps off a badly listing cargo ship and into the North Sea during helicopter rescue mission as sinking vessel is left adrift off Norway

  • 366ft Eemslift Hendrika struggled to battle high waves and strong winds during storm 80 miles off Norway
  • Crew made a distress call and eight were airlifted to safety by helicopter rescue team while four remained
  • Dramatic footage shows one crewman jumping into the North Sea before being plucked from huge waves

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The crew of a Dutch cargo shift have been airlifted to safety after they were forced to jump in the North Sea to escape the sinking vessel.

All 12 people on board the heavy-lift vessel Eemslift Hendrika were rescued by the Norwegian coast guard after the ship started to list near Alesund.

Eight were hoisted directly from the deck by a helicopter at noon on Monday but four initially remained on board to try to stabilize the ship.

The crew of a Dutch cargo shift have been airlifted to safety after they were forced to jump in the North Sea to escape the sinking vessel

One of the crewmen was seen jumping off the back of the vessel into the icy waters as they abandoned ship

One of the crewmen was seen jumping off the back of the vessel into the icy waters as they abandoned ship

They were then forced to jump into the sea with the huge cargo ship teetering on the verge of capsizing.

The crew members were all airlifted to safety from the sea at around 8pm and one is in hospital after sustaining injuries.

The vessel – currently some 80 miles off the coast in the North Sea – is at risk of sinking, a Norwegian official said. 

‘The ship lost power on the main engine during the night and is drifting towards land,’ Hans Petter Mortenson of the Norwegian Coastal Administration, told public broadcaster NRK.

All 12 people on board the heavy-lift vessel Eemslift Hendrika were rescued by the Norwegian coast guard

All 12 people on board the heavy-lift vessel Eemslift Hendrika were rescued by the Norwegian coast guard

Eight were hoisted directly from the deck by a helicopter at noon on Monday but four initially remained on board to try to stabilize the ship

Eight were hoisted directly from the deck by a helicopter at noon on Monday but four initially remained on board to try to stabilize the ship

The vessel - currently some 80 miles off the coast in the North Sea - is at risk of sinking, a Norwegian official said

The vessel – currently some 80 miles off the coast in the North Sea – is at risk of sinking, a Norwegian official said

‘There is a risk it may capsize and sink,’ Mortenson said, adding that this could cause a spill of diesel and fuel oil from its tanks.

Crew had sent off a distress signal on Monday morning after the ship started to list 30 degrees.

The vessel got caught in stormy weather and struggled to battle the high waves and ferocious winds. 

Crew had sent off a distress signal on Monday morning after the ship started to list 30 degrees

Crew had sent off a distress signal on Monday morning after the ship started to list 30 degrees

The vessel got caught in stormy weather and struggled to battle the high waves and ferocious winds

The vessel got caught in stormy weather and struggled to battle the high waves and ferocious winds

There were a number of boats and yachts on the cargo ship at the time during the journey from Bremerhaven in Germany to Kolvereid in Norway

There were a number of boats and yachts on the cargo ship at the time during the journey from Bremerhaven in Germany to Kolvereid in Norway

Built in 2015 and registered in the Netherlands, the 366 feet Eemslift Hendrika is a yacht transport vessel, carrying smaller boats on its deck, according to Monaco-based Starclass Yacht Transport, which markets the ship’s services.

There were a number of boats and yachts on the cargo ship at the time during the journey from Bremerhaven in Germany to Kolvereid in Norway.  

The Norwegian Coastal Administration and the shipping company are working on a plan for salvaging the vessel.