Engine Room Fire Triggers Rescue of 22 Aboard Min Jiang Kou

A fire broke out in the engine room of the Marshall Islands-flagged vehicle carrier Min Jiang Kou about 630 nautical miles south of Costa Rica on Thursday, prompting the evacuation of all 22 crew members. The U.S. Coast Guard received a distress alert at 1:09 p.m. after the crew activated the vessel’s CO₂ fire suppression system, initially containing the blaze. However, increasing smoke later forced the captain to order the crew to abandon ship. The Jin Hai Ping rescued all 22 crew members from their lifeboats, while the Degu remained nearby to assist. The crew will be transported to Akita, Japan. No pollution has been reported.