Crew Members Rescued From Lifeboat In North Pacific After Ship Carrying 3,000 Cars Catches Fire

The crew of a cargo ship carrying 3,000 vehicles to Mexico, including 800 electric vehicles, abandoned ship after they could not control a fire aboard the vessel in waters off Alaska’s Aleutian island chain.

A large plume of smoke was initially seen at the ship’s stern coming from the deck loaded with electric vehicles Tuesday, according to the ship’s management company, London-based Zodiac Maritime.

There were no reported injuries among the 22 crew members of the Morning Midas. Crew members abandoned ship, were evacuated onto a lifeboat and rescued by the crew of a nearby merchant vessel called the Cosco Hellas in the North Pacific, roughly 490 kilometers southwest of Adak Island. Adak is about 1,930 kilometers west of Anchorage, the state’s largest city.

The crew initiated emergency firefighting procedures with the ship’s onboard fire suppression system. But they were unable bring the flames under control.

“The relevant authorities have been notified, and we are working closely with emergency responders with a tug being deployed to support salvage and firefighting operations,” Zodiac Maritime said in a statement. “Our priorities are to ensure the continued safety of the crew and protect the marine environment.”