For anyone that has worked on a ship would know that the number one danger in the sea is fire and not tidal waves or sinking.
On Wednesday, a ship carrying vehicles from Germany to the United States caught fire in the Atlantic Ocean, forcing the ship’s 22 crew members to abandon the ship and flee for their lives.
The Felicity Ace, a nearly 200 meter-long ship capable of transporting 4,000 automobiles, was carrying a number of premium vehicles including at least 1,100 Porsches, Volkswagens and other vehicles.
Rescue Mission
The Portuguese navy rescued all 22 crew members from the ship, which was due to arrive in Davisville, Rhode Island, on February 23. According to The Associated Press, the crew was flown to Faial island in the Azores via helicopter. There were no injuries among the crew members.
The fire is believed to be still burning for over 24 hours.
A Porsche spokesman told NBC that:
“Our immediate thoughts are of relief that the 22 crew of the merchant ship “Felicity Ace” are safe and well. A number of our cars are among the cargo. We are in contact with the shipping company and the details of the cars on board are now known. While it remains too early to confirm what occurred and next steps, we are – along with our colleagues at Porsche AG – supporting our customers and our dealers as best we can to find solutions. Anyone concerned by this incident and the implications on the car they’ve ordered should contact their Porsche dealer,” the company said in its statement.”