Morning Midas Fire: What Was Behind Sinking Of 3,000 Vehicles Onboard Cargo Ship? Here's What We Know

(MENAFN- Live Mint) The Morning Midas, a cargo ship that was delivering nearly 3,000 vehicles to Mexico and caught fire weeks ago, has now sunk near Alaska. The crew abandoned the vessel after an onboard fire they couldn't extinguish, leaving it stranded in the water, according to a report by Bloomberg News.

What led to the fire?

Smoke was first observed coming from a deck with electrical vehicles, manager Zodiac Maritime told Bloomberg News when the incident first happened. Out of 3,000 vehicles on the ship, about 800 were electric vehicles. The damages due to the fire were further escalated because of heavy weather and following water ingress, causing the sinking on June 23, the manager added.

Also Read | Fire hazard: Funding fossil-fuel burning will eventually leave bank money burnt

“There is no visible pollution,” Petty Officer Cameron Snell, an Alaska-based US Coast Guard spokesperson told AP."Right now we also have vessels on scene to respond to any pollution," he added.

The ship with 3,000 new vehicles was scheduled to be delivered to a major Pacific port in Mexico. It remains unclear whether the cars were removed before the ship sank.

Also Read | Singapore-flagged cargo ship fire off the Kerala coast partially contained: DGS What happened to the crew members?

The Morning Midas had 22 crew members onboard. They were all evacuated to a lifeboat and were rescued by a nearby merchant vessel. No injuries were reported.

Meanwhile, the salvage crew reached days after the fire damaged the vehicle. The company stated that two salvage tugs equipped with pollution control gear will stay on site to watch for pollution or debris. The crew of these ships was unharmed when the Morning Midas sank, AP reported. The company is also sending another pollution response vehicle as a precautionary measure.

Also Read | Cargo ship carrying 3,000 vehicles, including 800 EVs, sinks in Pacific Ocean

The Coast Guard reported receiving a distress alert on June 3 regarding a fire on the Morning Midas, approximately 300 miles (490 kms) southwest of Adak Island.

About Morning Midas

The Morning Midas, a 600-foot (183-meter) car and truck carrier built in 2006, operates under a Liberian flag. It departed Yantai, China , on May 26, heading to Mexico, AP reported.

MENAFN25062025007365015876ID1109725281