Odd Eriksen
Encyclopedia
Odd Eriksen is a Norwegian
politician for the Labour Party
. In addition to his political career he gained national fame after stopping an Algeria
n hijacker from crashing a Kato Air-flight in 2004.
and grew up at Dønna
. He started his working career in 1974 as an electrolysis
operator at the Elkem
aluminium
works in Mosjøen
. From 1986 to 1990 he was leader of the local trade union, among other things organising the strike during the lockout in 1986. Eriksen was a vice member of Parliament of Norway from 1989 to 1993, and again from 1993 to 2001. From 1993 to 1997 he was vice chairman of the Standing Committee on Defence
. From 2003 to 2005 he was the counsellor of transport in Nordland County Municipality
and chairman of the Labour Party's county chapter.
Eriksen was Minister of Trade and Industry in the Stoltenberg's Second Cabinet from 2005 to 2006. He resigned from his post on 29 September 2006, citing personal reasons and a wish to return to local politics.
Odd Eriksen became a national celebrity in 2004 after he and a fellow airline passenger stopped another passenger who had attacked the pilots of a Kato Air flight near Bodø
with an axe. Eriksen himself broke his back in the fight, but managed to restrain the attacker while the badly injured pilots saved the plane from a nose dive, just 100 feet from hitting the ground. For his actions Eriksen, his fellow passenger and the pilots received the Polaris Award
from the International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations.
Eriksen is married and has three children.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
politician for the Labour Party
Norwegian Labour Party
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in Norway. It is the senior partner in the current Norwegian government as part of the Red-Green Coalition, and its leader, Jens Stoltenberg, is the current Prime Minister of Norway....
. In addition to his political career he gained national fame after stopping an Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
n hijacker from crashing a Kato Air-flight in 2004.
Career
Eriksen was born in SandnessjøenSandnessjøen
Sandnessjøen is the centre of the municipality of Alstahaug in the county of Nordland, Norway, with a population of over 9,000. It was made a township in 1788....
and grew up at Dønna
Dønna
Dønna is a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Helgeland region.Outer Helgeland, consists of the municipalities Leirfjord, Alstahaug, Herøy as well as Dønna. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Solfjellsjøen. The municipality has a large...
. He started his working career in 1974 as an electrolysis
Electrolysis
In chemistry and manufacturing, electrolysis is a method of using a direct electric current to drive an otherwise non-spontaneous chemical reaction...
operator at the Elkem
Elkem
Elkem is one of Norway's largest industrial companies, and one of the world's leading suppliers of metals and materials. The company's main products are aluminium, energy and silicon as well as specialised products such as ferrosilicon to foundries, microsilica and carbon...
aluminium
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
works in Mosjøen
Mosjøen
-History:Mosjøen was founded in the 17th century as local farmers met here to trade, and has been growing since then. Sawmills were built here in 1866 by a British company, and Mosjøen got township rights in 1875. It is the oldest town in the Helgeland region and the second oldest town in Nordland...
. From 1986 to 1990 he was leader of the local trade union, among other things organising the strike during the lockout in 1986. Eriksen was a vice member of Parliament of Norway from 1989 to 1993, and again from 1993 to 2001. From 1993 to 1997 he was vice chairman of the Standing Committee on Defence
Standing Committee on Defence
The Standing Committee on Defence is a former standing committee of the Parliament of Norway. Following the 2009 election, the committee was merged with the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs to form the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence....
. From 2003 to 2005 he was the counsellor of transport in Nordland County Municipality
Nordland County Municipality
Nordland County Municipality is the regional governing administration of Nordland, Norway. The main responsibilities of the county municipality includes the running of 17 upper secondary schools, with 9,500 pupils. It administrates county roadways, public transport, dental care, culture and...
and chairman of the Labour Party's county chapter.
Eriksen was Minister of Trade and Industry in the Stoltenberg's Second Cabinet from 2005 to 2006. He resigned from his post on 29 September 2006, citing personal reasons and a wish to return to local politics.
Odd Eriksen became a national celebrity in 2004 after he and a fellow airline passenger stopped another passenger who had attacked the pilots of a Kato Air flight near Bodø
Bodø
is a city and a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Salten region.The city of Bodø was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . Bodin was merged with Bodø on 1 January 1968. Skjerstad was merged with Bodø on 1 January 2005...
with an axe. Eriksen himself broke his back in the fight, but managed to restrain the attacker while the badly injured pilots saved the plane from a nose dive, just 100 feet from hitting the ground. For his actions Eriksen, his fellow passenger and the pilots received the Polaris Award
Polaris Award
The Polaris Award is the highest decoration associated with civil aviation, awarded by the International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations to airline crews in recognition for acts of exceptional airmanship, heroic action or a combination of these two attributes. In extraordinary cases,...
from the International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations.
Eriksen is married and has three children.