The Rhode Island bound cargo ship that caught fire while carrying 4,000 luxury sports including Lamborghinis, Porsches, Audis, and Bentleys worth an estimated total of $400 million sank off the coast of Europe on Tuesday.
The Felicity Ace departed Emden, Germany on February 10 and was originally expected to arrive at Davisville on the morning of February 23, however it caught fire off the coast of Portugal on February 17.
The ship sent out a distress signal after a fire broke out in one of the cargo decks.
According to an internal Volkswagen Group email obtained by Bloomberg, 3,965 U.S.-bound vehicles are aboard. Approximately 1100 Porsches, 189 Bentleys, and approximately 100 VWs were on the ship according to Automotive News.
All 22 crew members on board were evacuated and rescued by members of the Portuguese Navy and Air Force.
“We are already working to replace every car affected by this incident and the first new cars will be built soon,” Angus Fitton, vice president of PR at Porsche Cars North America, Inc., told The Associated Press in an email.
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