A salvage team is set to reach the Morning Midas cargo ship fire scene early next week following a major blaze aboard the vessel. The 600-foot ship, which was carrying around 3000 vehicles to Mexico, ignited Tuesday in remote waters off Alaska’s Aleutian island chain.
Zodiac Maritime, the ship’s management company based in London, said a tug with salvage specialists and gear would arrive on Monday. Another tug with firefighting and towing capability is also being prepared to assist with recovery and safety operations at sea.
Satellite-connected systems onboard the vessel have helped monitor conditions remotely as smoke continues rising from the still-burning ship. The US Coast Guard released photos Thursday showing the Morning Midas afloat but visibly smoking, confirming that the fire had not yet been extinguished.
Coast Guard officials got a distress call around 3:15 p.m. Tuesday from the ship, which was about 300 miles southwest of Adak Island. Initial reports from the Coast Guard stated that the Morning Midas carried roughly 70 electric and 680 hybrid vehicles.
All 22 crew members escaped without injuries by launching a lifeboat before a nearby merchant vessel rescued them. Zodiac Maritime confirmed the crew remained safely onboard the assisting vessel as of Thursday afternoon and is awaiting further transport arrangements.
The Liberian flagged Morning Midas Constructed in 2006 departed Yantai, China, on May 26 and was headed to a major Pacific port in Mexico. Maritime tracking websites showed the ship’s last location, far from populated coastlines.
As investigators review the fire causes, the cargo ship fire highlights growing pressure on shipping companies to strengthen fire response systems abroad for vehicle carriers transporting lithium-ion battery-powered cars.
