It ended up sinking with more than 1,100 Porsches on board.

A freighter carrying thousands of Volkswagen Group vehicles sank on Tuesday March 1, nearly two weeks after catching fire off the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores.

"The merchant vessel 'Felicity Ace' sank" "approximately 25 nautical miles (46 km) from the Portuguese exclusive economic zone," the navy said in a statement.

The sinking of the freighter, which "lost its stability", occurred during the towing operation, which began on February 24, in an area whose depth is about 3,000 meters.

The "Felicity Ace", flying the Panamanian flag, found itself adrift for a few days off the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores, after a fire broke out on board on February 16.

Leaving Germany, he was to join the United States.

Lithium batteries at the origin of the fire?

The 22 crew members were quickly rescued.

They were initially evacuated on board an oil tanker which had been diverted on the spot to take part in the rescue operations, before being transported to the island of Faial on board a military helicopter.

The crew of the "Felicity Ace" being rescued off the Azores archipelago in the North Atlantic on February 15, 2022. © Portuguese Air Force, AFP

In the days that followed, the fire continued to spread on board this approximately 200 meter long ship.

Lithium batteries are the cause of the disaster, according to several media, but the information has not been confirmed.

A car transport ship, carrying 189 Bentley cars made in Crewe in Cheshire, has caught fire in the Atlantic, close to the Azores Islands.

The Felicity Ace was delivering 4000 vehicles from Germany to the USA.

pic.twitter.com/LToDUEPqhG

— BBC North West (@BBCNWT) February 18, 2022

$155 million in expected losses for Volkswagen

Volkswagen said the ship was carrying "nearly 4,000 vehicles from several brands of the group, including 1,100 Porsches".

The fire could generate “expected losses of at least $155 million for Volkswagen,” analyst firm Russell estimated last week.

On the site of the sinking, it is possible to see "debris and oily residues" which are the subject of surveillance, said the Portuguese navy, adding that it had to send divers to the site equipped in particular with barriers anti-pollution retention.

A military aircraft must also monitor the development of the situation.

With AFP

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