Twenty-two crew members have been rescued after a fire broke out in the engine room of the COSCO-managed car carrier Min Jiang Kou off the coast of Costa Rica. The Marshall Islands-registered vessel was about 630 miles south of Costa Rica and sailing towards Ecuador’s Port of Manta when the fire was reported on 8 August, according to the US Coast Guard.
The crew activated the vessel’s carbon dioxide firefighting system, initially containing the blaze. However, rising smoke later prompted the captain to order the crew to abandon ship in the vessel’s lifeboats while he remained aboard. Following a US Coast Guard request for assistance, the 44,500 dwt Jin Hai Ping and 50,000 dwt tanker Degu diverted to the scene.
Jin Hai Ping recovered all 22 crew members, who were later reported safe and are being transported to Akita, Japan. Degu remained nearby to provide assistance. The US Coast Guard said there was no reported environmental impact, while the vessel is being prepared for repairs.
The car carrier was reportedly carrying Chinese-built electric vehicles. Lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles can present additional fire risks if damaged or subjected to conditions that trigger thermal runaway, although there is no indication that EVs caused the fire.
The US Coast Guard praised the responding vessels, saying the rescue demonstrated the importance of international co-operation in protecting lives at sea.