106 shipping containers floating in Pacific Ocean following bomb cyclone, cargo ship fire

As many as 106 shipping containers from the Zim Kingston have been left drifting in the Pacific Ocean, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.

The cargo ship had a rough weekend, hitting choppy waves near the Strait of Juan de Fuca on Friday that sent dozens of shipping containers overboard. Late on Saturday, a fire broke out in 10 damaged containers aboard the ship.

zim kingston cargo ship

Credit: Canadian Coast Guard

With the fire finally put out on Sunday, the ship's crew was able to return and take inventory. Officials now say that 106 containers—not their previous estimate of 40—are drifting along the western coast of Vancouver Island.

The Canadian and U.S. Coast Guard are working to track down these shipping containers, now that the bomb cyclone has passed.

Anyone who finds a container is warned not to open it; two of the containers that fell into the ocean contain potassium amylxanthate, a hazardous chemical found in many of the containers that caught fire. Instead, they are asked to call the Canadian Coast Guard at 1-800-889-8852.

READ MORE: Fire on cargo ship off British Columbia coast reported out

RELATED: Canadian, U.S. Coast Guard working to recover shipping containers knocked into Pacific Ocean

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