Cargo ship carrying thousands of cars catches fire off Netherlands coast
AMSTERDAM, July 26 (NNN-AGENCIES) — At least one crew member died, and several others were injured in a fire that broke out on a car carrier ship off the Dutch coast early Wednesday.
The incident involved a Panamanian-registered ship named Fremantle Highway.
The fire was first reported around midnight when distress calls were received from the ship approximately 50 kilometers north of the northern Dutch island of Ameland. The crew aboard the Fremantle Highway attempted to combat the flames themselves, but their efforts were in vain.
“The crew tried to put out the fire themselves, but failed. Unfortunately, one person died, and several others were injured,” the Dutch coastguard said in a statement.
As per reports, the scale of the fire, fueled by the cargo of nearly 3,000 cars, made it extremely challenging for the crew to control the situation.
Rescue helicopters and boats were swiftly dispatched to the scene. The Dutch coastguard successfully evacuated all 23 crew members from the stricken vessel.
The cause of the fire remains under probe, but initial reports suggest it might have started due to an electric car catching fire on board, which rapidly spread throughout the vessel. — NNN-AGENCIES
