Imagine sailing through icy Alaskan waters when suddenly—thick smoke rises from below deck.
That’s exactly what happened aboard the Morning Midas, a cargo ship hauling some 3,000 vehicles—800 of them electric.
Somewhere 300 miles southwest of Adak, Alaska, the ship’s crew spotted the fire and tried to douse it.
No luck. Within hours, all 22 crew members had to abandon ship, jumping into lifeboats.
They were rescued by a nearby merchant vessel with help from the U.S. Coast Guard.
The Morning Midas, flagged under Liberia, had set sail from China’s Yantai port on May 26, bound for Mexico’s Lazaro Cardenas. It never made it.
What Sparked The Fire?
Zodiac Maritime, the ship’s operator, believes it started on a deck filled with electric vehicles—though the brands remain a mystery.
Experts have long warned that EV battery fires are notoriously hard to control.
They burn hotter, last longer, and can reignite days after appearing to be out.
Now, the focus shifts to salvaging the vessel.
But the incident raises a bigger question: as EV exports surge, are cargo ships truly ready for the risks they carry?
One thing’s for sure—this voyage ended not with a roar, but with smoke on the water.
