The head of Norway's maritime directorate said a high-speed ferry that went down in rough seas was licensed to sail only in relatively calm waters. The ultra-modern Sleipner catamaran hit rocks and sank, with the loss of up to 19 lives, on its way along Norway's west coast from Stavanger to Bergen on Nov. 26. Ivar Manum, director-general of the directorate that regulates shipping, said the vessel had been in operation just three months and was limited to sailing in wave heights up to 3.3 ft. (1 m). The craft's evacuation procedures and life-saving equipment had been tested in calm conditions only and were due to undergo further tests in rougher waters, he said. Coastguards estimate that waves were more than 6.6 ft. (2 m) high on the night the ferry sunk.
