An American researcher drowns after a Viking replica ship sinks off Norway's coast

A historic journey ended in tragedy this week when a Viking replica ship capsized off the coast of Norway, killing an American archaeologist who was part of its international crew.

The six-person team had been piloting the open wooden ship, named Naddodd, on a roughly 1,000-mile trip from the Faroe Islands to Trondheim, Norway.

"This expedition, honoring the Viking navigator Naddodd, aims to preserve Viking culture and navigational skills for future generations," Sail2North expeditions, which organized the voyage, said in an Instagram post in May.

The team — made up of four Swiss, one Faroese and one American — departed on Saturday from Suðuroy, the southernmost of the 18 Faroe Islands, for what was expected to be a several-day journey.

But on Tuesday evening, met with stronger-than-expected winds and high waves, it capsized off the Norwegian coastal town of Stad.

The Norwegian Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) told CNN that the boat sent out a distress signal at around 5:45 p.m. local time, but when rescuers arrived, crew members signaled that they were safe.

They issued another distress call around 8 p.m. local time, at which point local civilian boats got to the scene and saw the ship had capsized. Five members of the crew managed to board an inflatable life raft and were airlifted to safety within an hour, the JRCC said, but one person was trapped beneath the boat.

Emergency responders battled tough conditions, including 40-knot winds and 16-foot waves, according to a video posted to social media by Norway’s Sea Rescue Society.

The following morning, once conditions improved, rescuers found a body beneath the capsized boat.

On Friday, Sail2North identified the victim as 29-year-old Karla Dana, whom it had previously described as "the youngest member of our crew and embodies both the curiosity of a field researcher and the boldness of an adventurer."

Dana, an archaeologist and field researcher, had worked in a number of countries, from Costa Rica to Germany to Morocco to Taiwan, according to her LinkedIn page. She was a member of the prestigious Explorers Club, and was pursuing a master's degree in archaeology at the University of the Highlands and Islands in Scotland.

In a joint statement shared with Sail2North, Dana's sister and her fiancé said she "tackled every adventure with a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eye."

"She always made life look easy," Alejandra Dana and Grant McDaniel wrote. "She created a light that illuminated everyone around her everywhere she went. If you ever had the opportunity to know her, consider yourself one of the luckiest people on this planet."

Dana had shared on LinkedIn earlier this year that she was looking forward to participating in the Viking expedition.

"Thrilled to be a part of this crew, fearlessly embarking on this Nordic voyage on a Viking ship replica across the North Sea, pushing through physical and mental limits to sail into history," Dana wrote.

Dana also authored several posts for the expedition's blog, which is now password-protected.

"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 a post published Wednesday, according to the BBC. "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."

Authorities believe a strong wave was likely responsible for the capsizing, which they are viewing as a "tragic accident" rather than a criminal matter, according to the Associated Press.

Sail2North said on Friday that its crew was made up of "highly experienced explorers who undertook extensive training" and "took every precaution to ensure their safety."

The other crew members include the 56-year-old captain and expedition leader, a 54-year-old artist and seaman who holds a Guinness World Record for rowing across two oceans in the same year, a 37-year-old extreme sports aficionado, a 41-year-old photographer and a 50-year-old engineer.

"Despite their diligent efforts and adherence to these measures, the outcome was unforeseen and deeply upsetting," it said, adding it is committed to supporting Dana's family and honoring her legacy.

A spokesperson with a public relations firm representing the organization told NPR over email that the rest of the crew is traveling home to be with their families and "continues to receive support from a dedicated care team." It anticipates providing further updates next week.