American tourist dies after Viking ship replica sinks off Norwegian coast

An American woman is dead after a replica Viking boat capsized overnight off the west coast of Norway, authorities said Wednesday. Five other people on board the vessel are “safe and sound” and were able to board an inflatable life raft and be hoisted to a helicopter, according to Norwegian rescue services. The woman was found dead in the water beneath the wreck. She was identified by Norwegian media as a 29-year-old U.S. citizen named Karla Dana. The BBC reported that Dana was an archaeologist specializing in the Viking era who wrote about the voyage in an online blog full of concern. “It's hard to keep the excitement from turning to fear when you see these waves tossing huge modern boats around like toys,” she commented. “But the North Sea has a wild beauty, a reminder of the raw power of nature, and I feel incredibly lucky to be part of this adventure.” According to the Norwegian Sea Rescue Society, rescuers responding to a distress signal had to battle strong winds of up to 40 knots and rough seas to reach the sinking boat.