American Car Carrier 'Alliance St. Louis' Adrift in Gulf of Mexico After Fire

The Coast Guard and good Samaritans are responding to the report of a vessel on fire approximately 150 miles south of Southwest Pass, Louisiana, Monday. – U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy of Aviation Training Center Mobile.

The U.S. Coast Guard and good samaritan vessels are responding to a U.S.-flagged vehicle carrier which caught fire and is now adrift approximately 130 miles south of Southwest Pass, Louisiana with 20 crewmembers aboard.

The Coast Guard says it received a report at 3:38 a.m. Monday from the National Command Center of an electrical fire in the engine room of the M/V Alliance St. Louis.

The fire on board has been extinguished by crewmembers, but the 199-meter vessel is currently on emergency power and drifting in the Gulf of Mexico as it awaits the arrival of a tugboat. All 20 crew members are reported safe.

Earlier an aircrew from Coast Guard Aviation Training Center Mobile conducted an over flight of the vessel and confirmed that the fire had been extinguished. At 10 a.m. the Coast Guard Cutter Brant was sent to provide additional assistance. Meanwhile a good Samaritan integrated tug, Mariya Moran, is on scene with the vessel.

The Coast Guard said the Alliance St. Louis is currently awaiting for the commercial tug, Crosby Endeavor, to arrive on scene to tow the vessel to Port Arthur, Texas.

No injuries or pollution have been reported.

AIS data showed the vessel departed Port Arthur, Texas on Sunday en route to Jacksonville, Florida.

The Coast Guard said it is maintaining a 2-hour communications schedule with the vessel and are boadcasting a notice to transiting vessels every 12 hours via VH-F channel 16.