Fire still burning on ship carrying 3,000 cars near bird habitat

Smoke is seen from a freight ship in the North Sea, about 17 miles north of the Dutch island of Ameland (Kustwacht Nederland/AP)

A cargo ship carrying nearly 3,000 cars is still on fire close to a world-renowned bird habitat off the Dutch coast as firefighters and salvage crews wait for the flames to subside before trying to board the vessel.

The Fremantle Highway was sailing from the German port of Bremerhaven to Singapore when it caught fire shortly before midnight on Tuesday about 17 miles north of the Dutch island of Ameland, sparking fears of an environmental disaster.