The first salvage crew has arrived at the scene of the stricken car carrier Morning Midas, which has been ablaze and adrift off the coast of Alaska for more than a week.
A fire, suspected to have been sparked by an electric vehicle on board, broke out on the Liberian-registered ro-ro ship on June 3 while the vessel was transiting from Yantai, China, to Lázaro Cárdenas, Mexico. The blaze grew out of control, forcing all 22 crewmembers to abandon ship. No injuries were reported.
On Monday, the tug Gretchen Dunlap arrived on scene with salvage personnel from Resolve Marine, who have begun a full condition assessment of the ship.
Photos shared by the U.S. Coast Guard show the 600' car carrier has suffered significant damage as the fire continues to burn on board.
The Morning Midas is estimated to have approximately 350 metric tons of gas fuel and 1,530 metric tons of very low-sulfur fuel oil on board. The ship is also reportedly carrying a total of 3,048 vehicles, including 70 electric vehicles and 681 hybrid vehicles.
The Coast Guard said its Air Station Kodiak HC-130J Super Hercules aircrew conducted an overflight of the Morning Midas on Sunday and observed no signs of pollution.
The stricken vessel, which is now located approximately 220 miles south of Adak, Alaska, is drifting northeast at approximately 1.8 miles per hour, according to an analysis by the Coast Guard and NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration. As of 12:20 p.m. Monday, the on-scene weather included 6' seas and 45-50 knot winds.
The Coast Guard said it is working with the Morning Midas's U.K.-based manager Zodiac Maritime and Resolve Marine to develop salvage and safety plans. Two more vessels are scheduled to arrive on scene at separate points within the next two weeks, the agency added.
"The safety of the public, responders, and vessel crews operating in the area remains our top priority," said Rear Adm. Megan Dean, commander of the Coast Guard’s Seventeenth District. "We are working closely with Zodiac Maritime to ensure a safe and effective plan to address the fire and mitigate any potential impacts to the environment.”
