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The cargo ship Morning Midas, which was carrying 3,000 new vehicles, including 800 electric vehicles, sank in the North Pacific Ocean after catching fire weeks ago. The ship was en route to Lazaro Cardenas, Mexico, from Yantai, China, when it caught fire on June 3, about 300 miles off the Alaskan coast. The crew of 22 were safely evacuated, and no injuries were reported.
The ship, managed by London-based Zodiac Maritime, sank in international waters off the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. According to the Associated Press, the combination of fire damage, bad weather, and water seepage caused the ship to sink 16,404 feet deep, approximately 415 miles from land.
After the sinking, US Coast Guard spokesperson Cameron Snell stated that there was no "visible pollution" from the incident. However, the Coast Guard has stationed salvage tugs with pollution control equipment near the site to manage any potential pollution or debris. Zodiac Maritime plans to send a pollution response vehicle for further assistance.
The Liberian-flagged Morning Midas, built in 2006, had been abandoned after the fire could not be extinguished. The US Coast Guard initially responded to the distress call, sending aircrews and a cutter ship to extinguish the flames. When these efforts failed, a salvage crew was dispatched days later.