Car Carrier Morning Midas Sinks in North Pacific After Fire Incident

Photo by the U.S. Coast Guard

Nearly three weeks after a fire broke out on board, the 182-meter-long car carrier Morning Midas (IMO: 9289910) has sunk in the international waters of the North Pacific, according to salvage operator Resolve Marine.

Salvage tugs on site

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The 12,249 DWT vessel sank at approximately 16.35 local time (UTC-9) on June 23 in waters around 5000 meters deep. The incident occurred roughly 360 nautical miles from land. Damage from the initial fire was worsened by rough weather and increasing water ingress, which ultimately caused the vessel to sink.

Two salvage tugs equipped with pollution control equipment remain on site, monitoring for any signs of pollution or floating debris. All crew members are reported safe. As an additional precaution, a specialized pollution response vessel is en route to the area.

“All operations continue to prioritize the safety of personnel and the protection of the marine environment,” officials stated in the latest update.

‍Timeline of the Fire

The incident began on June 3, when smoke was detected on a deck carrying electric vehicles as the vessel was en route from Yantai, China (LOCODE: CNYNT), to Lázaro Cárdenas, Mexico (LOCODE: MXLZC).

Despite the crew’s attempts to activate emergency firefighting procedures and use onboard suppression systems, the fire’s intensity forced all 22 crew members to abandon ship. They were safely evacuated in lifeboats and rescued without injury by the container ship Cosco Hellas (IMO: 9308510).

High-Risk Cargo Aboard Morning Midas

Registered under the Liberian flag, Morning Midas was carrying a total of 3,159 vehicles at the time of the incident – 65 of them fully electric and 681 hybrid electric models.

The vessel was also loaded with around 350 metric tons of gas fuel and 1,530 metric tons of very low sulfur fuel oil.

June 16: No Signs of Active Fire

Just one week before the sinking, salvage teams reported no signs of ongoing fire aboard the vessel. The specialized firefighting tug Garth Foss (IMO: 9070266) had taken over operations on June 15 from Gretchen Dunlap (IMO: 9804021) , which had been on scene since June 9.

The Morning Midas incident adds to a series of high-profile car carrier fires in recent years, including the Sincerity Ace (2018), Felicity Ace (2022) and Fremantle Highway (2023). Of these, only the Felicity Ace ended in total loss by sinking.

Zodiac Maritime, the vessel’s London-based manager, continues to coordinate closely with Resolve Marine and the U.S. Coast Guard during the response efforts.