An Explorers Club member died when a Viking replica boat capsized off the coast of Norway on August 27. Karla Dana, 29, was part of a six-person international crew sailing over 900km from the Faroe Islands to Norway, honoring the Viking navigator Naddodd.
The open-topped wooden vessel, built in the Faroese tradition, faced unexpectedly strong winds and high waves. It capsized near the coastal town of Stad, about 350km from Oslo.
Five of the crew, including expedition leader Andy Fitze, survived by getting into an inflatable life raft and were airlifted to safety. Dana, who was trapped underneath the vessel, drowned. Searchers recovered her body the next day.
Originally from Mexico and a recent member of The Explorers Club‘s Florida chapter, Dana had a background in technology, cultural preservation, and archaeology. She previously worked on ethnographic research with the Ngobe Indigenous Tribe of Costa Rica and was pursuing graduate studies in archaeology in Scotland.
Karla Dana. Photo: The Explorers Club
Joseph Dituri, Chair of the Florida Chapter, remarked that Dana’s fearless approach to life and her pursuit of scientific discovery left a lasting impact.
“Her exploration spirit was evident in everything she did as well as her zest for life,” he said. “It is a better world having had her in it.”
