UPDATE:
(KODIAK, Alaska) — The U.S. Coast Guard is continuing its response to a vessel fire approximately 340 miles southwest of Adak, Alaska, on Friday.
A Coast Guard HC-130J Super Hercules air crew from Air Station Kodiak conducted an overflight of the cargo ship Morning Midas on Wednesday and observed the vessel was still on fire.
Currently, there are no visual indications that the ship is taking on water or listing, and the extent of the damage is unknown. Zodiac Maritime, Morning Midas’s manager, is coordinating to send a team of salvage specialists to the vessel for further assessment.
Morning Midas’s crew, who evacuated the ship Wednesday, remains aboard the vessel Cosco Hellas transiting to the vessel’s next destination with no reported injuries.
As of 4 p.m. Thursday, the vessel was located approximately 340 miles southwest of Adak.
The 17th Coast Guard District has issued a broadcast notice to mariners to notify mariners in the area of the situation. The Coast Guard continues to work with Zodiac Maritime to coordinate recovery efforts of the vessel
INITIAL REPORT:
(KODIAK, Alaska) — The U.S. Coast Guard is responding to a vessel fire approximately 300 miles south of Adak, Alaska, on Wednesday.
Watch standers at the 17th Coast Guard District command center received a distress alert Tuesday at approximately 3:15 p.m. reporting a fire aboard the cargo ship Morning Midas, a 600-foot Liberian-flagged and U.K.-managed cargo vessel with 22 crewmembers and reportedly carrying several thousand vehicles.
Watch standers immediately issued an urgent marine information broadcast requesting assistance from vessels in the vicinity of Morning Midas. Three good Samaritan vessels responded to the incident.
Watch standers also diverted the crew of Coast Guard cutter Munro to the area, directed the launch of a C-130J Super Hercules air crew from Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak, and positioned an MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter air crew in Adak.
All 22 crewmembers aboard Morning Midas evacuated the ship aboard a lifeboat and were subsequently rescued by the crew of motor vessel Cosco Hellas, one of the good Samaritan vessels on scene, with no reported injuries.
The status of the fire is currently unknown, but 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 manager, Zodiac Maritime, to determine the disposition of the vessel,” said Rear Adm. Megan Dean, commander of the Coast Guard’s 17th District. “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.”
Morning Midas is estimated to have approximately 350 metric tons of gas fuel and 1,530 metric tons of very low sulfur fuel oil (VLSFO) onboard. It is also reportedly carrying 3,048 vehicles, with 70 being fully electric and 681 being hybrid electric. This is based on reports to the Coast Guard and is subject to change pending the development of any new information.
The Coast Guard is working with Zodiac Maritime to coordinate recovery efforts for the vessel.
– U.S. Coast Guard
