Hundreds rescued from Norwegian cruise ship

Hundreds of passengers were rescued Sunday from a cruise ship that was stranded near Norway’s coast, Norwegian authorities told The Associated Press.

The AP reported that more than 450 individuals were airlifted off of the ship before the rescue operation was suspended and the ship was towed to a nearby port.

{mosads}The ship, which carried 1,373 passengers and crew members, had engine problems in an  that is known for rough waters, according to the AP. Authorities told the news service that the crew was able to anchor the ship in the Hustadvika Bay, allowing the initial rescues to take place.

The passengers on the ship were mostly a mix of American, British, Canadian, New Zealand and Australian citizens, the AP reported.

Police said that about 17 people were hospitalized with injuries, the AP noted. 

According to the news service, 463 passengers had been evacuated via helicopter when the rescue teams stopped taking passenger off the ship so it could make its way to shore.