Thirty-one mariners saved from a lifeboat in the North Pacific, as a vessel transporting around 3,000 automobiles ignites.
Cargo ship carrying thousands of vehicles, including electric ones, abandons course in Alaskan waters due to uncontainable fire.
In disturbing news, the crew of the Morning Midas, a vessel transporting approximately 3,000 automobiles, including 800 electric vehicles, had to abandon ship after a blast engulfed the ship's deck laden with electric vehicles on June 3. This terrifying incident took place around 300 nautical miles south of Adak Island, Alaska.
Photographs released by the U.S. Coast Guard and a statement from the ship's owner, London-based Zodiac Maritime, showed a plume of smoke billowing from the vessel's stern. Fortunately, there were no reported casualties among the 22 crew members.
The crew initiated emergency firefighting measures with the ship's onboard fire suppression system, but they were unsuccessful in extinguishing the inferno. The crew was eventually evacuated onto a lifeboat and saved by a nearby merchant vessel, the Cosco Hellas.
Zodiac Maritime has expressed concern for the safety of the crew and the protection of the marine environment and has stated that they are cooperating with emergency responders. A tugboat has been deployed to assist in the salvage and firefighting operations.
The Morning Midas, built in 2006, is a car and truck carrier flying the Liberian flag. The vehicles onboard left Yantai, China, on May 26 and were destined for Lazaro Cardenas, a major Pacific port in Mexico.
This incident comes after a Dutch safety board called for enhancing emergency response on North Sea shipping routes following a devastating 2023 fire on a freighter transporting 3,000 automobiles, including nearly 500 electric vehicles, from Germany to Singapore. That disaster took a life, injured several, and persisted for a week, ultimately necessitating the vessel's tow to a port in the Netherlands for salvage. The rising concern over safety issues on the high seas, especially with the increase in oversized freighters and containers falling overboard, is evident.
Sources:1. CNN Politics2. FOX News3. NPR4. Reuters5. CBS News
- The fire on the Morning Midas, a cargo ship transporting thousands of vehicles including electric ones, has raised concerns about general news related to maritime safety, particularly with the increase in oversized freighters.
- The fire on the Morning Midas, a car and truck carrier, is reminiscent of a previous disaster in 2023 involving a freighter transporting a similar number of automobiles, including electric vehicles, which resulted in casualties and took a week to extinguish.
- The Morning Midas fire, which involved vehicles meant for delivery to Lazaro Cardenas, Mexico, brings focus to the finance and automotive industries, considering the potential losses incurred by the ship's owner, London-based Zodiac Maritime.
- The Morning Midas incident, whose evacuated crew was saved by a nearby merchant vessel, also highlights the importance of efficient transportation processes, as any delays could impact the delivery schedules of the 3,000 vehicles it was carrying.
