Cargo ship stuffed with EVs catches fire and sinks off coast of Alaska

Daily Mail​

3 days ago

A fire that started on a cargo ship nearly a month ago has come to a dramatic end, with the boat finally sinking off the coast of Alaska.
On June 3, the Morning Midas was making the journey from China to Mexico towing electric vehicles, hybrid cars, and thousands of conventional automobiles when smoke began to rise from its EV floor and flames quickly spread.
After three weeks of tense burning, the 600-foot ship finally sank the evening of June 23, 450 miles southwest of Adak, Alaska. The United States Coast Guard estimated that it plunged 16,400 feet into international waters.
By then the fire was completely extinguished, but none of the 70 EVs, 681 hybrid cars or 2,000 conventional vehicles were salvaged, per the United States Coast guard.
Electric vehicles contain lithium batteries, which, when subjected to heat, can cause rapidly spreading fires and toxic gasses, which make fires started from lithium batteries often unwieldy.
Officials have not stated whether that was the cause of the fire.
Not only did the boat endure damage from the flames, but according to London-based Zodiac Maritime, who managed the fallen ship: 'Damage caused by the fire, compounded by heavy weather and subsequent water ingress, caused the Morning Midas to sink.'
Aboard the ship at the time of the initial incident were 22 crew members, all of whom were safely evacuated on lifeboats shortly after the initial flame on June 3, traveling several hundred miles back to safety.
They attempted to extinguish the flames, but had to send out the distress alert to nearby Coast Guard when the fire became unmanageable.
Fire and salvage mariners arrived a week later to take care of the burning vessel.
The ship, which also carried nearly 2,000 tons of fuel, now poses a risk for pollution on the Alaskan coast.
In a statement to the Daily Mail, Zodiac Maritime said: 'As a precaution, two salvage tugs containing pollution control equipment remain on site to monitor for any signs of pollution or debris.
'Their crews are safe. A specialized pollution response vessel is also en-route to the location as an additional precaution.
'All operations continue to prioritize the safety of personnel and the protection of the marine environment.
'We remain in close coordination with Resolve Marine and the United States Coast Guard, and we extend our sincere thanks for their professionalism, swift response, and continued collaboration.'
One Tuesday, there were no visible signs of pollution, but Zodiac Maritime has continued to monitor the water space.
The United States Coast Guard had also been keeping an eye on the situation and providing status updates about the Morning Midas.
On Tuesday they wrote: 'The oil spill response vessel Endeavour is en route from Dutch Harbor and is expected to arrive on scene Thursday.
'The Endeavour is equipped with additional pollution response equipment including an oil spill containment and recovery system.'
According to Captain Cristopher Culpeper, the commander of Coast Guard Sector Western Alaska and U.S. Arctic, 'The safety of the responders remains our top priority. We're working closely with Zodiac Maritime in an advisory capacity to ensure a swift and effective response to any potential signs of pollution.'
Culpeper and the Coast Guard said in their statement that no injuries have been reported during the response to this catastrophe.