Cargo ship on fire off the coast of Netherlands

On Wednesday 26 July 2023, the "Fremantle Highway", an 18 500-ton cargo ship registered in Panama, caught fire off the island of Ameland in the north of Netherlands.

The 23 crew members tried to extinguish the flames themselves but failed. The fire killed one person and injured several others.

According to the Dutch coastguard, the fire could last for several days despite the presence of rescue teams who are trying to extinguish the fire and prevent the vessel from sinking.

The freighter, en route to Port Said in Egypt from the German port of Bremerhaven, was carrying 3 000 vehicles.

Preliminary investigations reveal that one of the 25 electric cars on board may be the cause of the fire.