One dead and 'many' injured from burning 18,500-tonne cargo ship in North Sea

26 July 2023 , 06:18

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The vessel is a vehicle carrier that transports just under 3,000 cars (Image: Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

One person has been killed and several more are injured after a large cargo ship caught fire off the coast of the Netherlands.

The Fremantle Highway ship, about 200 metres long and 18,500 tonnes and is currently still adrift on fire. Boats and helicopters were used to get the 23 crew members off the ship after they tried unsuccessfully to put out the blaze in the North Sea, the Coast Guard said.

The vessel is a vehicle carrier that transports just under 3,000 cars, including a number of electric cars, according to Dutch broadcaster NOS.

It was sailing from the German port of Bremen to Port Said in Egypt and the fire likely started in one of the 25 electric cars on board, the news service added, citing a spokesperson for the coast guard.

Two Coast Guard helicopters involved in the rescue operation on the Fremantle Highway ship are at The Hague Airport (Hollandse Hoogte/REX/Shutterstock)

At the time of writing, the ship was still burning some 17 miles north of the Dutch island of Ameland, with images taken from shore showing a long plume of grey smoke drifting over the sea from the stricken ship.

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A Red Cross emergency team supported the emergency services this morning and said those affected were "very cold and inhaled smoke."

The Fremantle Highway ship close to port (Hollandse Hoogte/REX/Shutterstock)

A total of sixteen crew members with respiratory problems were transferred by air ambulance to Groningen Airport, NOS said.

The Coast Guard is desperately trying to prevent the ship from sinking, but its spokesperson said: "All kinds of scenarios are possible - we have to wait and see what will happen step by step."

Further details were not immediately available.

We'll be bringing you the very latest updates, pictures and videos on this breaking news story.

Please check back regularly for updates on this developing story .

Ryan Fahey