- Vessel Carrying 800 EVs Sinks; Crews Safe, Pollution Risk Monitored.
- Fire-Damaged Vehicle Carrier Sinks 360 Nautical Miles Off Alaska.
- Sinking Triggers Pollution Watch as Vessel Carried 1,500 mt of Fuel.
A car carrier that was packed with thousands of vehicles, including electric ones, sank in the North Pacific on June 23 after suffering serious damage from a fire, rough seas, and water getting in. This unfortunate event took place about 360 nautical miles from the nearest land, in waters that are 5,000 meters deep, reports World Cargo News.
Vessel Sinks Following Fire, Heavy Weather, and Water Ingress
“Damage caused by the fire, compounded by heavy weather and subsequent water ingress, caused the Morning Midas to sink at around 16.35 local time zone (UTC -9) on 23 June, in waters approximately 5,000 metres deep and 360 nautical miles from land,” ship manager Zodiac Maritime said in an update.
Ongoing Pollution Monitoring and Response
“As a precaution, two salvage tugs containing pollution control equipment remain on site to monitor for any signs of pollution or debris. Their crews are safe. A specialised pollution response vessel is also en-route to the location as an additional precaution.”
The operator added that all response efforts remain focused on safety and environmental protection: “All operations continue to prioritise the safety of personnel and the protection of the marine environment.”
Awaiting Long-Distance Towing Support
The vessel sank while it was waiting for a long-distance towing tug that was supposed to arrive this week. A second tug had already made it to the site last week, and both thermal scans and visual inspections confirmed that there was no active fire on board at that time.
Crew Safely Rescued After Fire Eruption
The fire erupted while the vessel was sailing about 300 miles southwest of Adak, Alaska, which forced the crew to abandon ship and use life rafts. Thankfully, all 22 crew members were safely rescued by the nearby Cosco Hellas, one of three good Samaritan ships that responded to the distress call.
Cause of Fire Remains Unknown
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. However, early signs indicate that smoke was first detected near a deck that was carrying electric vehicles. The cargo includes around 3,000 vehicles, with about 800 of them being EVs, along with 350 metric tons of gas fuel and 1,530 metric tons of very low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO).
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Source: World Cargo News
