A cargo ship carrying more than three thousand cars, including 800 electric and hybrid models, was on fire in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, forcing the 22 crew members to abandon the vessel.
The fire, which broke out on Tuesday, was still active on Wednesday night, with firefighting efforts ongoing.
According to “Reuters”, the cargo ship, Morning Midas, registered under the United Kingdom, was en route to the port of Lázaro Cárdenas in Mexico, with an expected arrival on June 15, having departed from China at the end of May, with approximately 3,000 vehicles on board, when off the coast of Alaska, the crew detected smoke in the area of the electrified vehicle transport.
Despite activating the ship’s fire suppression system, the fire reignited after the system was depleted. Unable to contain the blaze, the crew issued a distress signal and evacuated the ship using lifeboats.
This is not the first time a cargo ship with cars has suffered a fire on board; in 2022, off the Azores in the Atlantic Ocean, the Felicity Ace ultimately sank after about two weeks ablaze, with a cargo of 000 luxury vehicles, including Porsche, Bentley, and Audi models.