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Cargo ship carrying 3,000 vehicles sinks in Pacific Ocean after catching fire
The Morning Midas sank 415 miles away from land, owing to the damage due to flames, combined with bad weather and water seepage.
Weeks after it caught fire, a cargo ship carrying automobiles, including electric vehicles, to Mexico, sank in the North Pacific Ocean.
The ship, Morning Midas, was delivering 3,000 new vehicles, of which 800 were EVs, to Mexico. The carrier had been abandoned by its crew after an onboard fire which could not be extinguished.
The ship sank in international waters off the Aleutian Islands chain in Alaska, according to the ship's management company, London-based Zodiac Maritime. The damage due to the flames, combined with bad weather and water seepage, led to the Morning Midas sinking 16,404 feet deep, 415 miles away from land, as per the Associated Press.
After its sinking, a US coast guard spokesperson said that there was no “visible pollution” in the aftermath of the incident. Officer Cameron Snell added that the US coast guard had vessels ready at present to respond in case any signs of pollution are noticed.
A couple of salvage tugs, carrying equipment for pollution control, have been stationed near the area where the carrier sunk, to control any pollution or debris. The ship's management company, Zodiac Maritime, will also send a pollution response vehicle for additional assistance, according to AP.
Carrier caught fire three weeks ago
The 600-foot cargo ship had caught fire around 300 miles off the Alaskan coast on June 3. The ship sent a distress alert about the blaze, following which the US coast guard responded to the call.
The coast guard confirmed that no injuries had been reported, with the 22 people onboard being evacuated in lifeboats. They were rescued by a merchant marine vessel which was near the carrier.
The ship was travelling to Lazaro Cardenas in Mexico. The coast guard sent aircrews and a cutter ship to douse the flames. However, when this did not work, a salvage crew was sent days after fire had disabled the ship.
The carrier, a Liberian-flagged ship built in 2006, had left from Yantai, China for Mexico on May 26, as per marinetraffic.com.
