Burning Cargo Ship Carrying Thousands Of Luxury Cars Adrift In The Atlantic Ocean

A cargo ship carrying thousands of European luxury cars across the Atlantic Ocean has been abandoned after a fire broke out on board.

What Happened: According to combined media reports, the 650-foot, 60,000-ton cargo ship called the Felicity Ace departed from Emden, Germany, on Feb. 10. A fire started Feb. 16 on the vessel that the crew was unable to contain.

The call for assistance in evacuating the ship was made roughly 200 miles from Terceira Island in the Azores, a Portuguese island territory. The Portuguese military safely rescued the 22-member crew by helicopter.

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What Happens Next: The exact number of luxury cars left on the burning ship is uncertain, though it is believed there were approximately 4,000 Volkswagen AG VWAGY vehicles on board, including 1,100 vehicles from the Porsche Automobil Holding SE POAHY brand and 189 Bentley cars.

Audi AG AUDVF reported that it had vehicles on the vessel but did not provide a quantity.

The ship was scheduled to deliver its cargo in Davisville, Rhode Island. A Porsche spokesperson recommended that those “concerned by this incident and the implications on the car they’ve ordered should contact their Porsche dealer.”

After the vessel was abandoned, the Felicity Ace remained adrift in the open ocean with the fire burning out of control. The cause of the fire has yet to be identified, nor has a strategy been put forth to put out the fire and attempt to salvage the vessel.

Photo courtesy of the Portuguese Navy.