23/10/2009

Fishing Boat Blazes In Lough

A fishing boat is on fire in Belfast Lough.

Black smoke has been seen pouring from the vessel, which is midway between Holywood and Whiteabbey. The Coastguard in Bangor was said this afternoon to be dealing with the incident and an ambulance rapid response unit and ambulances were dispatched to Belfast Docks.

This afternoon it was reported that all five crew members have had to be rescued from the water after their vessel went on fire.

An eyewitness was driving on the Co Antrim side of Belfast Lough and saw the black smoke pouring from the vessel.

"As a former firefighter, I recognised at once that the boat was in serious trouble, as the thick black smoke indicated it to be well alight.

"On calling the emergency services, it turned out that the alert had just been raised and that the Coastguard at Bangor was involved in the incident," he said.

According to another eye witness - who contacted UTV - the boat appeared to be going round in circles with its engine running.

The witness said the crew was picked up by a nearby boat.

It is understood other boats came out to help and waited some distance from it before the arrival of a lifeboat.

All the crew members have been taken to Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, but their conditions are not yet known.

(BMcC/GK)

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