COSCO Hellas Rescues 22 as Morning Midas Car Carrier Fire Ends in Total Loss
The 600-foot vehicle carrier Morning Midas caught fire in the North Pacific on June 3, 2025, roughly 300 miles south of Adak, Alaska, while carrying thousands of vehicles from China toward Mexico. After the ship's crew activated its onboard firefighting systems but was unable to control the blaze, all 22 seafarers abandoned the vessel in a lifeboat and were safely picked up by the containership COSCO Hellas, with no reported injuries. U.S. Coast Guard figures put the cargo at 3,048 vehicles, including 70 fully electric vehicles and 681 hybrids, while the vessel also carried approximately 350 metric tons of marine gas oil and 1,530 metric tons of very low sulfur fuel oil. The presence of electrified vehicles became an immediate focus because smoke had been observed around a vehicle deck, but the cause of the fire was not established and the cargo mix alone does not establish an EV-related ignition. Salvage teams subsequently reached the abandoned ship, but Morning Midas eventually capsized and sank on June 23 in international waters approximately 450 miles southwest of Adak.
Operator Impact Snapshot
All 22 seafarers rescued
The crew evacuated by lifeboat and was recovered by COSCO Hellas with no reported injuries.
Vessel ultimately sank
Morning Midas remained offshore under salvage response before capsizing and sinking on June 23.
3,048 vehicles aboard
The reported cargo included 70 fully electric vehicles and 681 hybrid vehicles.
1,880 tonnes of ship fuel
The vessel reportedly carried 350 tonnes of marine gas oil and 1,530 tonnes of VLSFO.
Cause not established
Electrified vehicles were part of the cargo, but their presence does not establish the source of ignition.
Morning Midas Casualty at a Glance
Morning Midas Casualty Record
The incident progressed from an offshore fire and crew abandonment to a complex salvage operation and eventual sinking.
| Item | Confirmed Detail | Operational Context | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vessel | Morning Midas | 600-foot Liberian-flagged vehicle carrier, U.K.-managed by Zodiac Maritime. | CASUALTY |
| Initial Fire | June 3, 2025 | Distress notification was received while the vessel was several hundred miles offshore from Adak, Alaska. | FIRE |
| Crew | 22 seafarers | All evacuated aboard a lifeboat after onboard firefighting efforts failed to control the fire. | ALL RESCUED |
| Rescue Vessel | COSCO Hellas | Costamare-owned containership that responded as a Good Samaritan vessel and recovered the entire crew. | NO INJURIES |
| Total Vehicles | 3,048 | Vehicles had been loaded in China for shipment toward Mexico. | CARGO |
| Electric Vehicles | 70 full EVs | Official Coast Guard count following correction of earlier cargo estimates. | 2.3% OF CARGO |
| Hybrid Vehicles | 681 | EVs and hybrids together accounted for about 24.6% of the reported vehicle count. | 22.3% HYBRID |
| Ship Fuel | 1,880 tonnes | Approximately 350 tonnes MGO plus 1,530 tonnes VLSFO were reported aboard. | POLLUTION WATCH |
| Salvage | Resolve Marine | Specialist vessels and firefighting resources were mobilized to assess and respond to the abandoned carrier. | DEPLOYED |
| Final Outcome | Capsized and sank June 23 | The vessel sank in international waters approximately 450 miles southwest of Adak in water about 16,400 feet deep. | TOTAL LOSS |
| Pollution Report | No visible signs reported at response conclusion | Salvage and pollution-response vessels remained in the area for monitoring. | MONITORED |
Car Carrier Fire Response & Cargo Profile Tool
Compare vehicle mix, shipboard fuel inventory and offshore response distance for a PCTC casualty. Morning Midas figures are loaded as the starting scenario.
Vehicle Cargo Mix
Shipboard Fuel Inventory
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