May 23rd a fire broke out in the engine room of m/s "Deutschland" while berthing in Eidfjord, Hardangerfjord, Norway. Fortunately no one was hurt, but all the passengers and crew had to be evacuated. The ship was towed back to Germany for repairs.
The German Ambassador to Norway, HE Detlev Ränger, in a letter to the Mayor of Eidfjord expressed his gratitude to the community. He wrote, " I am writing to you to express my and my Government's great thankfulness to you and all the staff and citizens of Eidfjord municipality. The tireless efforts you all deployed on the occation of the fire on board the German cruise ship MS "Deutschland" and the following evacuation of passengers and crew are an example for Norwegian hospitality and the readyness to help in case of crisis that will not be forgotten in Germany".
