Massive cargo ship carrying luxury cars sinks in mid-Atlantic

Smoke billows from the burning Felicity Ace automotive transport ship as seen from the Portuguese Navy NPR Setubal ship southeast of the mid-Atlantic Portuguese Azores Islands.

(Portuguese Navy)

A big cargo vessel carrying vehicles from Germany to america sank Tuesday within the mid-Atlantic, 13 days after a hearth broke out on board, the ship’s supervisor and the Portuguese navy stated.

The Felicity Ace sank about 250 miles off Portugal’s Azores Islands because it was being towed, MOL Ship Administration in Singapore stated in a press release. A salvage workforce had put out the hearth.

The 650-foot-long vessel listed to starboard earlier than going below, the ship’s supervisor stated.

The Portuguese navy confirmed the sinking, saying it occurred outdoors Portuguese waters. A Portuguese air drive helicopter evacuated the 22 crew members when the hearth broke out, setting the ship adrift.

Oceangoing tugboats with firefighting gear had been hosing down the ship’s hull to chill it.

It wasn’t clear what number of vehicles have been onboard the ship, however vessels of the Felicity Ace’s measurement can carry not less than 4,000 automobiles.

European carmakers declined to debate what number of automobiles and what fashions have been on board, however Porsche prospects in america have been being contacted by their sellers, the corporate stated.

“We're already working to interchange each automotive affected by this incident and the primary new vehicles shall be constructed quickly,” Angus Fitton, vice chairman of PR at Porsche Automobiles North America Inc., instructed the Related Press in an e-mail.

The ship was transporting electrical and nonelectric automobiles, in line with Portuguese authorities. Suspicion on what began the hearth on Feb. 16 has fallen on lithium batteries utilized in electrical automobiles, although authorities say they don't have any agency proof in regards to the trigger.

Authorities feared the ship might pollute the ocean. The ship was carrying 2,200 tons of gasoline and a couple of,200 tons of oil. It may well carry greater than 18,700 tons of cargo.

The Portuguese navy stated in a press release that only some items of wreckage and a small patch of oil have been seen the place the ship went down. The tugboats have been breaking apart the patch with hoses, it stated.

A Portuguese air drive aircraft and a Portuguese navy vessel are to stay on the scene looking out for indicators of air pollution.