One dead & 23 rescued as massive inferno rips through 18,500-tonne cargo ship carrying 3,000 cars in the North Sea
A SAILOR has died after a massive blaze ripped through a cargo ship carrying 3,000 cars in the North Sea.
Rescue helicopters and boats raced to evacuate 23 crew members from the 18,500-tonne vessel sailing from Germany to Egypt.
The Dutch coast guard said: “Around midnight the coast guard received a report that the Fremantle Highway is on fire. The crew tried to put out the fire themselves, but failed.
“Unfortunately one person died and several others were injured.”
The incident on board the Fremantle Highway happened about 27 kilometres north of the the island of Ameland, off the coast of the Netherlands.
The coast guard said the blaze was “still raging” on the vast ship – with pictures taken from the shore showing a huge plume of black smoke drifting over the sea from the stricken vessel.
An electric car was suspected to have caused the fire, a spokesperson said.
The crew were evacuated to the nearby Dutch port of Lauwersoog.
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