A serious fire broke out on Morning Midas, a 600-foot long vehicle carrier. This unfortunate event occurred as the ship was transiting through the waters off Alaska’s Aleutian island chain. At the time, the ship was carrying about 3,000 vehicles, including 800 electric vehicles. It was on its way to Lazaro Cardenas, a major Pacific port in Mexico when the incident occurred.
The Morning Midas, constructed in 2006 and flying a Liberian flag, was carrying 22 crew members at the time of the accident. All of them were in attendance when the bomb dropped. Crew received a precautionary evacuation. Fortunately, the crew were uninjured, according to reports. With the fire roaring beyond control, the crew had to hightail it from the ship, evacuating onto one of the vessel’s lifeboats. The bridge crew of the nearby merchant vessel, Cosco Hellas, immediately took action. They heroically rushed into the active shooter’s distressing situation, saving millions in the process.
The guy wire rescue effort took place some 300 miles southwest of Adak Island. That island is located about 1,200 miles west of Anchorage, Alaska’s largest city. As of Wednesday afternoon, it was difficult to determine the fire’s current status. Pictures shared with Homeland Security Today showed that smoke was still coming from the ship.
Zodiac Maritime, the operator of Morning Midas, is in communication with authorities and emergency responders. They stated, “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. Our priorities are to ensure the continued safety of the crew and protect the marine environment.”
In a press conference, Rear Admiral Megan Dean expressed gratitude to the nearby vessels for their quick action. She reiterated the importance of collaboration and coordination among all sectors during a crisis. She remarked, “We are grateful for the selfless actions of the three nearby vessels who assisted in the response and the crew of motor vessel Cosco Hellas, who helped save 22 lives.”
This incident serves as a poignant reminder of the inherent dangers of maritime operations. It’s particularly dangerous when moving high volumes of cars at once. TIL program authorities are implementing an aggressive program of surveillance and monitoring. They are working to keep the fire under control and keep everyone safe.
