American archaeologist drowns after boat capsizes on Viking voyage

The Naddoddur set off from the Faroe Islands on Saturday on a trip of about 400 nautical miles

An American archaeologist has died after the boat she was sailing in capsized in rough seas during a Viking voyage expedition from the Faroe Islands to Norway.

Six people were on board the Naddoddur when it got into trouble on Tuesday evening - the fourth day of the voyage - and a distress signal was sent.

Only five people managed to get into an inflatable life raft. They were later airlifted to safety by helicopter.

A woman's body was eventually found on Wednesday morning close to where the boat capsized.

The US State Department confirmed the death of an American citizen "off the coast of Norway" but declined to comment further "out of respect for the privacy of the family".

"We extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased," the agency told BBC News.

Norwegian media identified the deceased woman as 29-year-old Karla Dana.

A blog maintained by the group contains several entries written by Ms Dana. In one post that appears to have been written before their departure, she describes trepidation over the expedition as she watched online videos of the North Sea.

"It’s hard to keep excitement from turning into fear when you see those waves casually tossing around huge modern boats like toys," she wrote in the post, which published Wednesday.

"But there’s a wild beauty in the North Sea, a reminder of nature’s raw power, and I feel incredibly lucky to be part of this adventure."

Ms Dana's body was found trapped underneath the capsized boat, Faroe Islands news website local.fo reported.

Norway's Sea Rescue Society (NSSR) described conditions when the boat capsized as very demanding, posting a video of the strong winds and high sea west of the town of Stad.

It said waves were up to 5m (16ft) and winds were as much as 40 knots.

According to Ms Dana's LinkedIn profile, she is an archaeologist specialising in the Viking era, with previous experience working and studying in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Panama, Spain, England, Germany, Morocco, China and Taiwan.

In 2023, Ms Dana joined the Florida chapter of The Explorers Club.

The Explorers Club is a prestigious international organisation founded in 1904 by Arctic explorers to promote scientific discovery and research.

Joseph Dituri, the chairman of The Explorers Club's Florida chapter who sponsored Ms Dana's entry into the club last year, said that her death is a reminder "that we make these dangerous Expeditions and Explorations look easy but they are not".

"This brave Explorer left this planet doing something she loved entirely too early," he told BBC News.

"Her exploration spirit was evident in everything she did as well as her zest for life! It is a better world having had her in it."

Dr Dituri, who holds a Guinness World Record for having spent 100 days in an underwater habitat, said that Ms Dana had begun to pursue an archaeology masters degree in June at the University of the Highlands and Islands at the remote Orkney Island campus.

"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.

Earlier, she had led a project in Costa Rica, doing ethnographic field research on the Ngöbe Indigenous Tribe. Her work culminated in book about the tribe's language, legends and traditions.

Bergur Jacobsen, who is chairman of the Naddoddur boat club on the Faroe Islands, told the BBC that everyone was very sad about what had happened.

He explained that the 10m-long boat had been on previous Viking voyages before to Iceland, Shetland and Norway.

"It's not a Viking boat, it's a Faroes fishing boat without a motor but with sails."

He said he could not speak about the accident as a Norwegian investigation team was due to speak to him.

Locals were said to be in shock over the accident. One seaman told the BBC that visitors were keen to go on expeditions with the boat, although he would not have done so himself.

The expedition had been postponed for several days because of bad weather until Saturday.

One of four Swiss nationals on the trip, Andy Fitze, posted a map on social media two days into the voyage showing the boat to the north-east of Shetland.

Before the trip, the Faroese member of the crew, Livar Nysted, said when you were in the middle of a storm "you just try to do the best you can".

"It's an open boat. You sleep under the stars and when it's raining or windy you can feel the elements."

The expedition was not affiliated with the Viking Cruises company.

With additional reporting from Max Matza