Ship Carrying Thousands of EVs Catches Fire Southwest of Aleutians, Crew Evacuated Safely

The cargo ship Morning Midas, carrying about 3,000 vehicles including roughly 800 electric vehicles (EVs), caught fire approximately 300 miles southwest of Adak, Alaska, forcing all 22 crew members to abandon ship safely. Despite the crew's efforts to extinguish the fire using the onboard carbon dioxide firefighting system, the flames reignited after the system was depleted, and the fire remained uncontrolled as of the following day. Zodiac Maritime, the ship's London-based operator, and the U.S. Coast Guard coordinated rescue and firefighting efforts, with a tugboat deployed to support salvage operations and protect the marine environment. This incident marks at least the third recent fire involving vehicle carriers, highlighting growing concerns about the risks posed by lithium-ion batteries in EVs, which can overheat and resist conventional firefighting methods. The Morning Midas had departed from Yantai, China, en route to Lázaro Cárdenas, Mexico, and the situation is being closely monitored by insurers and salvage teams due to its complexity and potential cost. No injuries were reported, and multiple nearby vessels assisted in the response.