Car Carrier Fire in Gulf of Mexico

A U.S.-flagged car carrier caught fire on Monday and is now adrift in the Gulf of Mexico with 20 crew on board.

The 199-meter (653-foot) Alliance St Louis is operating on emergency power and drifting approximately 135 miles south of Southwest Pass, Louisiana, with the tug Mariya Moran on standby at the scene. 

The tug Crosby Endeavor is on its way to tow the vessel to Port Arthur, Texas.

The Coast Guard and good Samaritan vessels are continuing to respond to the incident.

A Coast Guard aircrew has conducted an over flight of the vessel and confirmed that the fire had been extinguished by the crew. No injuries or pollution have been reported.

Watchstanders at the Eighth Coast Guard District command center received a report at 3:28 a.m. from the National Command Center of an electrical fire in the engine room of the vessel.

The Alliance St. Louis was built in 2005 and is owned by Alliance Navigation. The vessel is operated by Höegh Autoliners.