The Morning Midas, a cargo ship with nearly 3,000 vehicles headed to Mexico, sank near Alaska on June 23. Weeks earlier, a fire broke out on board and the crew had to leave the ship. It stayed adrift until it finally went underwater.
The Morning Midas is a 600-foot (183-meter) car and truck carrier built in 2006. Sailing under a Liberian flag, it departed from Yantai, China on May 26 and was headed to Lázaro Cárdenas, Mexico, when the incident occurred during its journey across the Pacific.
Smoke was first seen near a deck carrying electric vehicles (EVs), the ship’s manager Zodiac Maritime told Bloomberg. Of the 3,000 vehicles onboard, about 800 were electric vehicles. Rough weather and water ingress worsened the damage, leading to the ship’s sinking on June 23.
On June 3, the US Coast Guard received a distress signal from the Morning Midas about a fire onboard. The ship was located roughly 300 miles (490 km) southwest of Adak Island at the time.
There were 22 people on board the Morning Midas. After the fire broke out, the crew evacuated on June 5 using a lifeboat and was safely picked up by another nearby ship. No injuries were reported during the incident.
Experts say lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles (EVs) raise fire risks. About 70 fully electric vehicles and 681 hybrid vehicles were onboard, many from Chinese automakers like SAIC (Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation) and Chery.
Days after the fire, a salvage team reached the site. Two tugs with pollution control gear remain on-site to monitor for oil or debris. Another response vessel is also being sent as a precaution. No salvage crew members were harmed.
Authorities are keeping a close watch on the site for any signs of pollution or floating debris after the sinking. Response vessels will remain in the area to prevent possible environmental damage.
