A ship stocked with vehicles was reportedly abandoned in the Pacific Ocean after a fire broke out on board.
According to Reuters, the cargo ship Morning Midas was on a 19-day voyage, en route from Asia to North America.
The vessel was 300 miles from Adak, Alaska early Wednesday when smoke started billowing from one of the decks.
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After efforts to put out the fire were unsuccessful, the ship’s crew of 22 evacuated. Reports say the crew was safely transferred via lifeboat to a nearby ship with the help of the U.S. Coast Guard.
The operator of the vessel, Zodiac Maritime, said its focus now is on trying to salvage the ship, though uncontrolled ship fires can be difficult to manage. In this case, the ship’s contents are particularly combustible; of the 3,000 vehicles aboard, approximately 800 of them are electric. Once EV batteries ignite, the fires can be notoriously challenging to fully extinguish.
Back in 2022, a similar incident occurred when the Felicity Ace caught fire near Portugal. The ship was carrying millions of dollars in automobiles – including Bentleys, Porches and Lamborghinis. Attempts to save the ship failed and, after burning for two weeks, it capsized and sank.
It is unclear as to the current condition of the vehicles onboard the Morning Midas. Owner Zodiac Maritime has confirmed that the fire is believed to have originated in the area of the ship carrying the EVs.
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