Cargo Ship Carrying Hundreds of Electric Vehicles Evacuated in North Pacific

A cargo vessel transporting hundreds of electric vehicles has caught fire in the North Pacific, prompting a complete evacuation of its crew. The incident occurred approximately 500 kilometers south of Adak, a settlement in the Aleutian Islands.

The ship, named Morning Midas, was reported to be carrying a total of 3,048 vehicles, including 70 fully electric cars and 681 hybrid vehicles, which are also classified as electric. The remainder of the shipment consisted of conventional vehicles equipped with internal combustion engines, suggesting they do not pose the same level of risk due to battery capacity.

The United States Coast Guard confirmed that the emergency call from the Liberian-flagged ship was received on Tuesday. Following the distress signal, nearby vessels were alerted to provide assistance. Three ships responded, and a rescue boat successfully evacuated all 22 crew members, who were unharmed.

While the crew is safe, the fire on board continues to burn, and the Coast Guard has not yet determined the status of the flames. Thick smoke is reportedly still rising from the ship. Additionally, the vessel contains significant quantities of fuel, including 350 tons of gas and 1,530 tons of low-sulfur heating oil, as reported by the vessel's operator.

This incident echoes a previous fire on the Fremantle Highway nearly two years ago in the North Sea, where a cargo ship loaded with thousands of vehicles experienced a similar calamity. At that time, initial assessments suggested that only a few dozen of the vehicles were fully electric; however, nearly 500 electric vehicles were later found on board. It was initially speculated that one of the electric cars had ignited the fire, but this theory was later refuted. Most of the electric vehicles were recovered in good condition, although significant damage occurred to part of the ship's deck, including vehicles that were completely melted due to the fire. During that incident, there was a tragic loss of life.