Ship carrying hundreds of Porsches and Bentleys adrift after catching fire

US-based car or truck reviewer Matt Farah said on Twitter that a Porsche he experienced purchased was on the ship.

“I just acquired the phone from my seller,” he tweeted. “My vehicle is now adrift, quite possibly on fire, in the middle of the ocean.”

The fireplace was nonetheless reportedly active as of Thursday night time and the trigger is not but recognised. The ships are often divided into sections, which could restrict the injury to the cargo.

The ship is operated by Mitsui OSK Lines, which reported it “regrets the inconvenience and problem caused”.

It additional: “MOL will make just about every work to consist of the hurt and take care of the situation as the main priorities.”

The crew are safe and sound in a hotel on the Azores and are in excellent overall health, it claimed, incorporating that it experienced appointed a salvage crew which is due to arrive at the vessel on Friday.

Amid the 3,965 cars affected have been Volkswagen and Lamborghinis, in accordance to the German newspaper Handelsblatt.

Container ship fires are scarce, but can be catastrophic. In 2018, a fire on the Maersk Honam claimed the life of 5 of its 27 crew right after chemical substances it was carrying caught fire and the ship’s carbon dioxide fireplace suppression process was unable to deliver the blaze less than control. It was salvaged and renamed the Maersk Halifax.

Container ship measurements have enhanced by 1,500computer system due to the fact 1968, in accordance to insurance company Allianz, which has warned that at any time-extra complex fire-preventing units will be essential to hold up.

Volkswagen did not quickly respond to a ask for for comment.