Firey, Abandoned Car Carrying Ship Finally Sinks
About three weeks after the fire broke out, the inevitable has happened as the Morning Midas is now sunk. The big transport ship caught fire around three weeks ago, believed to have started in the bay containing electric vehicles. The crew could not extinguish the fire and abandoned ship, leaving a big smoldering pile of steel floating around the ocean.
The ship was enroute to Mexico from China, carrying a variety of Chinese-built automobiles from the country’s top manufacturers. In total, 3,048 vehicles were on board, with 70 being fully electric vehicles and 681 being hybrid vehicles.
Fire damage, poor weather, and a lack of onboard crew led to the ship capsizing and sinking in international waters, approximately 450 miles southwest of Adak on Monday. Adak is around 1,200 miles west of Anchorage.
The Coast Guard stated the ship sank to a depth of approximately 16,400 feet, and there are no reports of visible signs of pollution at this time. According to reports, the Morning Midas had 350 metric tons of marine gas oil (MGO) and 1,530 metric tons of very low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO) onboard.
It’s unknown if any of the vehicles were removed from the ship before it sank. A salvage crew did arrive a few days after the fire broke out, but what they salvaged is unclear.
The Coast Guard has stated it is monitoring the situation, remaining in contact with Zodiac Maritime, the manager of the Morning Midas. To keep an eye on any pollution threats, two salvage vessels, the Garth Foss and the Salvage Worker, are at the spot where the ship sank, assessing the water quality and contamination. There is also an oil spill response vessel, called the Endeavour, making its way to the scene to add extra support if needed. Â
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A 20+ year industry veteran, Mike rejoins the AutoGuide team as the Managing Editor. He started his career at a young age working at dealerships, car rentals, and used car advertisers. He then found his true passion, automotive writing. After contributing to multiple websites for several years, he spent the next six years working at the head office of an automotive OEM, before returning back to the field he loves. He is a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC), and Midwest Automotive Media Association (MAMA). He's the recipient of a feature writing of the year award and multiple video of the year awards.
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and battery electric is better for the environment