
A dramatic rescue unfolded in the North Pacific Ocean after a cargo ship carrying thousands of vehicles caught fire. The Morning Midas, en route to Mexico with a cargo that included 3,000 vehicles – 800 of which were electric – was forced to abandon ship when a fire broke out on Tuesday.
According to images released by the U.S. Coast Guard and a statement from Zodiac Maritime, the ship’s management company based in London, a large plume of smoke was observed billowing from the stern, originating from the deck where electric vehicles were stored. The blaze proved uncontrollable, prompting the crew to evacuate.
All 22 crew members safely escaped onto a lifeboat. Their swift rescue was thanks to the quick actions of a nearby merchant vessel, the Cosco Hellas, which plucked the crew from the rough waters approximately 300 miles southwest of Adak Island, Alaska. Adak itself is situated about 1,200 miles west of Anchorage.
Remarkably, there were no reported injuries among the crew. The incident highlights the risks involved in transporting large quantities of vehicles, particularly electric vehicles, across vast stretches of ocean. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.