THIS is the moment a cargo ship carrying more than 3,000 EVs was captured burning over a week after a fire broke out on board.
All 22 crew members were forced to abandon ship after a fire tore through the giant vessel travelling from China to Mexico on June 3, according to local media.
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Everyone on board was safely evacuated but over a week later the Morning Midas continues to burn with coast guards rushing to get the fire under control.
Footage shows the giant vessel engulfed in smoke and blackened from the blaze which is thought to have started near the stern.
Overflight photos from the US Coast Guard also show the extent of the damage which extends the whole length of the hull.
Whilst the ship continues to burn reports suggest it is still watertight.
Zodiac Maritime, one of the vessel’s managers, confirmed there were no signs of pollution but spill response teams remained on standby.
Two additional tugs will also be sent to help with the rescue operation, with the first arriving in six days and the second in 12 days.
Resolve Marine and the United State Coast Guard have also been consulted to help with a spill contingency plan.
The firm told World Cargo News: “The safety of everyone involved and the protection of the environment remain our top priorities.”
Morning Midas was about 220 miles south of Adak, Alaska when it caught fire and was carrying more than 3,000 vehicles, including around 750 EVs.
A Coast Guard spokesperson said: “The safety of the public, responders, and vessel crews operating in the area remains our top priority.
“We are working closely with Zodiac Maritime to ensure a safe and effective plan to address the fire and mitigate any potential impacts to the environment”.
The Morning Midas is estimated to have about 350 metric tons of gas fuel and over 1,500 metric tons of very low sulfur fuel oil onboard.
This ship’s devastating blaze comes just a couple months after a fire reportedly ripped through a 500ft container ship in the North Sea.
The Dutch vessel Victoria L was seen up in flames following the blast. At least 19 crew members were on board the ship when officials were first alerted to the fire at around 1pm, HLN media reports.
The ship was travelling through the Hoek van Holland, near to Rotterdam at the time.
It was travelling from Hamburg in Germany to the port of Rotterdam.
Several ships rushed to the scene to help with the rescue mission along with two helicopters with emergency services on site.
The crew is said to have tried to extinguish the fire themselves at first before a second blast caused the Dutch coastguard to send over support vessels.
The Victoria L, built in 2009, sails under the flag of Liberia.
It is a huge 528ft long and 91ft wide.
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