Cargo ship Cougar Ace tips over, 4,700 Mazdas aboard
The Singapore-flagged cargo vessel Cougar Ace has tipped over off the coast of Alaska. All 23 crewmembers have been rescued. The same cannot be said, however, for the 4,700 Mazdas aboard the ill-fated 654-foot ship.
According to Mazda, 60% of the cars aboard are Mazda3s, and 30% are CX-7 SUVs. The Associated Press reports that the Cougar Ace tipped after her ballast was adjusted in the open sea. The resulting imbalance sent her over into the 60-degree list she is currently experiencing. As seen in the US Coast Guard photo above, her keel, rudder, and propeller are all out of the water.The Coast Guard reports that aside from the list, the ship is stable and not sinking. Mitsui O.S.K., the Cougar Ace's owners, has initiated a salvage operation and the company they're working with is expected onsite in approximately one week.
Mazda does not know the extent of the damage to its vehicles and will refrain from further comment until it has more solid information, but based on photos of the ship, it looks like it's safe to assume that the conditions in the hold are, at best, a gigantic mess.
(Mazda press release after the jump)
[Sources: Mazda, AP via CTV, Alaska Report)
PRESS RELEASE:
Mazda Vehicles Aboard
Stricken Car-Carrying Vessel, Cougar Ace
On July 24, 2006, Mazda was advised that the Mitsui OSK Lines' Cougar Ace had run into trouble off the Alaskan coast. Although it is reportedly still afloat, the vessel is on its side,
What caused this incident or the extent of the damage to the vehicles is currently unknown. Just over 4,700 Canadian- and U.S-bound Mazdas were on board. Approximately 60 percent of the cars are MAZDA3s and close to 30 percent are Mazda CX-7s. The vehicles were headed to the ports of Vancouver (Canada), Tacoma and Hueneme in the USA.
A plan for salvaging the vessel is being developed and will be executed by Mitsui OSK Lines as soon as possible.
Mazda will wait until the situation has been fully evaluated and understood, before disclosing further information.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Rodger 1:15AM (10/02/2008)
they ended up cruching all the cars and no parts got out everything even deployed and cut up all the air bags and junked everything
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Mike Hammock 10:12AM (7/27/2006)
Mazda 3's? NOOOOOOOOOOOO!
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Dubbedinenglish 10:14AM (7/27/2006)
They better not be the MazdaSpeed 3's
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
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The other Bob 10:22AM (7/27/2006)
I'll take three of any model and make one good one out of it.
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Gardiner Westbound 10:27AM (7/27/2006)
Look for a Mazda "scratch and dent" sale.
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Paul 10:36AM (7/27/2006)
can anyone say Tricolor?
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CJ 10:38AM (7/27/2006)
How are the cars shipped? Are they in bubble wrap or that styrofoam popcorn? Are they strapped down super tight?
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Bob 10:42AM (7/27/2006)
If I can paddle out and get one can I keep it?
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sleepymexi 10:44AM (7/27/2006)
And I thought my accord had a lot of body roll..
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Alex Nunez 10:44AM (7/27/2006)
CJ, based on photos I've seen of that ship being loaded, the cars are lined up and driven on and off.
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cacho 10:48AM (7/27/2006)
For you freaks who enjoy this kind of images, checkout www.cargolaw.com . They have up to the day pictures and detailed description of cargo losses around the world.
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mickster 10:51AM (7/27/2006)
NEWS FLASH:
MAZDA HAS CHANGED ITS SLOGAN FROM:
ZOOM ZOOM
TO:
SPLISH SPLASH
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Mike 10:51AM (7/27/2006)
I've been on one of these ships. The vehicles are strapped down tight to avoid movement in rough sea. If a car moves even slightly it would take out all of the surrounding vehicles. So my guess is that if the straps held (which they should) then the vehicles might be ok. It would be interesting to see the vehicles on their sides.
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Fazzster 10:52AM (7/27/2006)
I bet the Mazdaspeed 3's were on their!!! Noooooo!
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Hank 10:53AM (7/27/2006)
Still afloat with all that weight and a 60 degree list. The shipbuilder put that puppy together tiiight.
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The other Bob 10:54AM (7/27/2006)
"If I can paddle out and get one can I keep it?"
Only if you can swim with it strapped to your back.
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holzer 10:54AM (7/27/2006)
CJ -
"Still unknown was the fate of the nearly 5,000 cars - mostly Mazdas - secured in compartments with heavy chains inside the vessel."
Thats from one of the articles at the bottom of this post.
So maybe they'll be okay.
Depends on if the chains held up, and how far it is until the car hits the side of the compartment.
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Mr. Simple 10:55AM (7/27/2006)
What do you call 4700 imported cars at the bottom of the Pacific?
Answer: A good start.
Couldn't resist.
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Bob 10:59AM (7/27/2006)
"Only if you can swim with it strapped to your back"
That's what the wife is for. Hell I could probably use a '53 Buick like the Cubans and drag it home that way!
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laserwizard 10:59AM (7/27/2006)
Doom! Doom! Doom!
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