A cargo ship carrying thousands of cars has been abandoned in the Pacific Ocean after catching on fire.
The Morning Midas cargo ship was travelling from China to Mexico when it caught fire approximately 450 kilometres south of Alaska.
The ship was transporting a reported total of 3,159 vehicles, with around 800 being electric, running on lithium ion batteries which when on fire are very difficult to extinguish.
The United States Coast Guard Alaska Division was called to the scene of the burning ship by a distress call made on Tuesday afternoon, local time.
With the 22 person crew unable to get the fire under control, the Coast Guard made the decision to abandon ship, with all members taken to safety.
The ship's current status is unknown, but the Coast Guard reports “smoke is still emanating from the vessel”.
“As the search and rescue portion of our response concludes, our crews are working closely with the vessel’s parent company, Zodiac Maritime, to determine the disposition of the vessel,” said the commander of the Coast Guard’s Seventeenth District, Rear Admiral Megan Dean.
"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.”
