Focus shifts to salvage of evacuated, burning vehicle carrier off Alaska

On 4 June 2025, the US Coast Guard (USCG) was alerted to a major fire on a 2006-built vehicle carrier, transporting hundreds of electric and hybrid-powered cars while sailing in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

All 22 crew members on board Liberia-flagged cargo ship Morning Midas evacuated aboard a lifeboat and were picked up by nearby container ship Cosco Hellas, leaving the vehicle carrier drifting and burning.

Morning Midas is managed by UK-based Zodiac Maritime and was carrying 3,048 cars, of which 70 were fully electric and 681 partial hybrid-electric vehicles.

This 182-m, 46,800-gt ship left China’s Yantai port on 26 May and was sailing to the Mexican port of Lázaro Cárdenas, where it was expected to arrive on 15 June, according to automatic identification system (AIS) data.

USCG said the fire on board was reported at around 15:15pm, local time, when the ship was 483 km south of Adak, Alaska. The vessel issued an urgent marine information broadcast requesting assistance from vessels in the vicinity.

Three good Samaritan vessels responded to the incident, including 9,450-TEU container ship Cosco Hellas. The USCG’s MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter launched from Adak and the C-130J Super Hercules aircraft from Kodiak air station along with USCG cutter Munro attending from the sea.

"The crew immediately initiated emergency fire-fighting procedures using the vessel’s onboard fire suppression systems. However, despite their efforts, the situation could not be brought under control. In consultation with the United States Coast Guard all 22 crew were safely evacuated via lifeboat and have been transferred to a nearby merchant vessel," a Zodiac Maritime statement said.

"The relevant authorities have been notified, and we are working closely with emergency responders with a tug being deployed to support salvage and fire-fighting operations. Our priorities are to ensure the continued safety of the crew and protect the marine environment. We would like to thank all parties involved for their assistance." 

Images from the USCG show the fire was still emanating from the vessel’s cargo decks near the stern on 6 June.

“As the search and rescue portion of our response concludes, our crews are working closely with the vessel’s manager, Zodiac Maritime, to determine the disposition of the vessel,” said USCG Seventeenth District commander Megan Dean.

“We are grateful for the selfless actions of the three nearby vessels who assisted in the response and the crew of Cosco Hellas, who helped save 22 lives.”

Morning Midas is estimated to have around 350 tonnes of gas fuel and 1,530 tonnes of very low sulphur fuel oil on board. The USCG said is was working with Zodiac Maritime to co-ordinate recovery efforts of the damaged ship.

London-based Zodiac Maritime said it is now focused on salvaging Morning Midas and confirmed smoke was originally rising from a deck loaded with electric vehicles, although it has not been confirmed if this was the cause.