Posted on 03/06/2022 4:14:54 PM PST by dennisw
The Felicity Ace, the cargo ship carrying cars and SUVs from brands including Audi, Porsche, Bentley and Lamborghini, has now sunk.
It had caught fire on February 16 and its crew abandoned the ship.
The largely burned out ship was being towed back to a safe port when it sank yesterday, according to a report provided by the salvage team to MOL Ship Management of Singapore, which operates the Panama-flagged ship.
A spokesperson for Volkswagen Group confirmed that the automaker was aware of the vessel sinking.
The Felicity Ace had been carrying nearly 4000 vehicles from various Volkswagen Group brands.
A number of the vehicles were fully electric, including models from Volkswagen and Audi, something that may have made the fire more difficult to control.
Fires involving lithium-ion batteries are particularly difficult to extinguish.
Among the Lamborghini cars on the ship were some Aventador models.
The V12-powered Aventador is Lamborghini’s most expensive regular production model, priced at over $US400,000 ($A548,000).
Fewer than 800 are built each year and this is the last year the model is being offered.
Lamborghini of America CEO Andrea Baldi recently told the industry publication Automotive News that it could be difficult to replace the cars because each one is highly customised and, as it is, customers wait months for their cars.
The ship's crew were taken by helicopter to Faial island on the archipelago.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbcnnews.com ...
Did you custom order a Pink Audi EV 6 months ago? It would be amusing if the EVs were all in the same section on board. One lithium battery caught on fire, it spread to the others.
Even at $100,000 apiece, with 4000 vehicles, that’s $400,000,000.
There could have been $1 billion dollars worth of cars there.
Lloyd’s of London is sad.
Thanks for posting! I figured this would be The End for ‘The Felicity Ace.’ :(
Note to self: No. Electric. Cars.
Call Fred Nerks Oceanic Salvage Company!
Lithium battery fires can’t be controlled. Probably more dangerous than fuel tankers.
“when it sank yesterday”
I had to check the date on this article. It did not sink yesterday, March 5. It sunk March 1.
Old news.
It has gone to join the Bonhomme Richard. I told my wife they were just going to tow it around ‘till it sunk.
LOL. You are a cynic. You belong here. LOL.
A new dive site for the adventurous?
Polluting the ocean!
My heart bleeds like a potato for its loss.
I’m just grateful for my little Honda.
Wonder if they saved the tow rope? Be a shame to lose a good line. But that lithium thing explains why the crew bailed so fast——sprinkler system was making it worse.
Let me channel my inner leftist ... global warming! serves them right, all these expensive gas guzzling, carbon emitting, earth killers belong at the bottom of the ocean. Mother Gaia got her revenge!
Almost 2 miles down. Quite adventurous indeed.
Do lithium fires even need oxygen? They could be burning under water for a few more days!
3000 meter depth so it will take some expensive stuff to get down there.
The Atlantic is reported to be about 10,000 feet deep at the wreck’s location.
https://frachtbox.com/blog/cargo-ship-sinking-in-the-atlantic-ocean-felicity-ace
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.