The freighter Felicity Ace, which is carrying around 4,000 cars from the Volkswagen Group, is floating in the Atlantic Ocean near the Azores after the crew was forced to abandon the vessel due to a fire.
Because of the batteries of the electric cars on board, it is difficult to put out the fire. While the crew has been evacuated, the fire situation remains dire: “The ship is burning from one end to the other… everything is on fire about five metres above the water line,” said captain Joao Mendes Cabecas of the port of Hortas.
In addition to the size of the fire presenting difficulties, the size of the vessel is also problematic, as it can’t simply be towed somewhere more manageable. Thus, a 16-person salvage team was sent from Smit Salvage to the ship to help control the flames.
reuters.com
Keyword: Volkswagen’s fire on the high seas