Waikato Regional Council maritime officers are responding to a fire aboard a 13-metre aluminium boat near Centre Island in Mercury Bay this afternoon.
The incident began around 2.30pm when the vessel’s skipper discovered flames in the engine bay and deployed the onboard life raft. He was quickly rescued by recreational fishers in the area who had spotted smoke rising from the boat.
Three maritime officers aboard a Waikato Regional Council harbourmaster vessel arrived on scene by 3pm and established an exclusion zone to keep other water users away.
Despite visible damage, including holes in the hull, the vessel remains afloat.
Deputy Regional Harbourmaster Hayden Coburn confirmed that the skipper was uninjured and did not require medical attention. Coburn:
“We’re due to return to the scene with equipment to secure the vessel in place, Because there is a lot of acrid smoke coming from the boat, it’s not safe at this stage to set up booms around the vessel.”
Initial assessments suggest the fire was intense enough to consume most, if not all, of the 300 litres of diesel fuel on board at the time.
“Given the fire’s intensity, we believe the majority of the fuel has likely burned off. However, we’ll continue to monitor for any environmental impact from residual diesel, as well as for navigational hazards caused by debris,” Coburn added.
The skipper has contacted his insurer and will work with them on a salvage plan.
Waikato Regional Council maritime officers have been working alongside Coastguard, Fire and Emergency New Zealand, Maritime New Zealand and Police as part of a coordinated response.
Press release: https://www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/community/whats-happening/news/media-releases/boat-catches-fire-skipper-escapes-injury-mercury-bay/
Images: Photos of the 13-metre aluminium boat on fire taken from the Waikato Regional Council harbourmaster vessel.
