Cargo ship carrying electric vehicles catches fire off Alaska – key points you need to know

A cargo ship, which started its journey from Yantai, China, on May 26, to ship cars to Lazaro Cardenas, a major Pacific port in Mexico, caught fire in the waters off Alaska’s Aleutian island chain on Wednesday, as per a report.

Journey from China to Mexico Interrupted by Fire

The 600-foot (183-meter) Morning Midas, which is a car and truck carrier, was carrying 3,000 vehicles, including 800 electric vehicles, as per CNN.

The 22 crew members on board, abandoned the Morning Midas after it caught fire and were evacuated onto a lifeboat and rescued by the crew of a nearby merchant vessel named the Cosco Hellas in the North Pacific, about 300 miles (490 kilometres) southwest of Adak Island, reported CNN.

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Smoke and Flames from the EV Deck

US Coast Guard photos and a Wednesday statement from the ship’s management company, Zodiac Maritime, highlighted that a large plume of smoke was initially seen at the ship’s stern coming from the deck loaded with electric vehicles on Tuesday, reported CNN.

Fire Suppression System Failed to Contain Flames

While, the crew had initially started the emergency firefighting procedures with the ship’s onboard fire suppression system, they were not able to bring the flames under control, as per the report.

Authorities Responding, Tugboat En Route

Zodiac Maritime said, “The relevant authorities have been notified, and we are working closely with emergency responders with a tug being deployed to support salvage and firefighting operations,” adding, “Our priorities are to ensure the continued safety of the crew and protect the marine environment,” quoted CNN.

The Coast Guards said that the status of the fire onboard the ship was not known as of Wednesday afternoon, but the smoke was still emanating from the Morning Midas, according to the report.

Rear Admiral Megan Dean, commander of the Coast Guard’s Seventeenth District, shared that the search and rescue part of the response had concluded and now the Coast Guard was working with Zodiac Maritime to figure out how to recover the ship and what will be done with it, as per CNN.

FAQs

What happened to the cargo ship near Alaska?
The Morning Midas caught fire while transporting 3,000 vehicles, including 800 electric cars, across the Pacific Ocean.

Were there any injuries?
No, all 22 crew members were safely evacuated and rescued without injuries.