U.S. Coast Guard Rescues Crew After Car Carrier Fire Off Costa Rica
The U.S. Coast Guard successfully coordinated the rescue of 22 crew members from the vehicle carrier Min Jiang Kou after a fire broke out in the ship's engine room, forcing the crew to abandon the vessel approximately 630 miles south of Costa Rica. The incident began when the Coast Guard received a distress alert from the Marshall Islands-flagged ship, reporting the fire. Despite initial containment efforts using the ship's carbon dioxide fire suppression system, the situation worsened, leading to the crew's evacuation into lifeboats. The motor vessel Jin Hai Ping and motor tanker Degu, identified through the Automated Mutual-Assistance Vessel Rescue System (AMVER), responded to the distress call. Jin Hai Ping successfully rescued all crew members, who are now en route to Akita, Japan. The Coast Guard praised the international maritime community's commitment to safety at sea, highlighting the importance of coordination in rescue operations.