Cargo ship carrying over 3,000 vehicles sinks in Pacific Ocean after fire

Salvage firm Resolve Marine confirmed the EV fire-damaged Morning Midas sank in deep international waters; all 22 crew were rescued, and pollution monitoring is ongoing

A cargo ship carrying thousands of vehicles sank in the Pacific Ocean on 23 June, weeks after a fire broke out onboard. The vessel, Morning Midas, was travelling from Yantai, China, to Lázaro Cárdenas, Mexico, when the incident occurred.

 

Salvage company Resolve Marine—also involved in the cleanup of the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore—confirmed that the ship sank in international waters, according to media reports. Two salvage tugs equipped with pollution control systems remain at the site to monitor for oil leaks and floating debris.

Vessel carried electric, hybrid, and conventional vehicles

Managed by London-based Zodiac Maritime, the Morning Midas was transporting more than 3,000 vehicles, including approximately 70 fully electric and 681 hybrid models.

 

 

The ship, built in 2006 and registered under the Liberian flag, was a 600-foot (183-metre) long car and truck carrier. The cargo reportedly included vehicles from manufacturers such as SAIC Motor, Chery Automobile, and Great Wall Motor. 

Fire traced to electric vehicle deck

The fire began on 3 June while the ship was located around 360 nautical miles southwest of Adak, Alaska. The source was traced to a deck carrying electric vehicles. Lithium-ion batteries, used in EVs, are known to pose fire risks if damaged.

 

According to Zodiac Maritime, “Damage caused by the fire, compounded by heavy weather and subsequent water ingress, caused the Morning Midas to sink at around 16:35 local time zone (UTC -9) on 23 June, in waters approximately 5,000 metres deep and 360 nautical miles from land.”

Crew safely rescued; authorities respond

All 22 crew members were safely evacuated on 5 June. After abandoning the ship in a lifeboat, they were rescued by the nearby container ship COSCO Hellas. The US Coast Guard deployed aircrews to Adak and dispatched a ship to support the rescue operation. 

 

Photographs shared by the Coast Guard showed smoke emerging from the stern, specifically from the EV deck. Zodiac Maritime earlier said: “The relevant authorities have been notified, and we are working closely with emergency responders with a tug being deployed to support salvage and firefighting operations.”

Lithium-ion battery transport flagged as growing risk

A report by insurance major Allianz noted that the increasing transport of lithium-ion batteries poses a growing hazard to maritime shipping due to the fire risk and the high value of cargo on vehicle carriers.