A cargo ship carrying approximately 3,000 vehicles, including 800 electric vehicles (EVs), was abandoned by its crew off the coast of Alaska after a fire broke out onboard, according to operator Zodiac Maritime.
All 22 crew members were safely evacuated via lifeboat and transferred to a nearby merchant vessel with assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard.
The ship, Morning Midas, was located around 300 miles southwest of Adak, Alaska, when the incident occurred.
The Liberia-flagged vessel had departed from Yantai, China, on May 26 and was en route to Lazaro Cardenas, Mexico.
Smoke was first spotted coming from a deck loaded with EVs, which are known to pose significant firefighting challenges due to the risk of intense heat and reignition.
The U.S. Coast Guard has deployed air and cutter support, with three vessels already at the scene to assist with the salvage operation.
This incident echoes a 2022 disaster, when a ship carrying 4,000 luxury vehicles, including Porsches and Bentleys, sank near the Azores after catching fire.
Marine fires, especially on car carriers and roll-on/roll-off ships, remain a major concern for global insurers.
According to insurer Allianz Commercial, vessel fire incidents reached a decade-high in 2024.
Allianz noted in its 2025 safety report that firefighting and salvage operations on such large ships are increasingly complex and risky.
