Passengers saved after leaping into sea to escape tourist boat inferno

Sixty people were forced to jump off a tourist boat which caught fire off the coast of New Zealand. The vessel - called PeeJay - was returning from White Island to the town of Whakatane when it caught fire. Smoke and flames were seen coming from the engine room and quickly engulfed the boat. All 53 passengers and seven crew members were rescued and brought to safety before the boat sank. Four people were injured and were taken to hospital where they were all reported to be in a stable condition. Former New Zealand rower Rob Hamill, who watched from the shore, said: “It was a blazing inferno. It was incredible.”

It was just a miracle that that never happened 20 miles out at sea where they had just come from – just amazing that everybody made it back to shore.

Witness Barry Caulfield

The boat was about 1km from shore when the boat caught fire and the PeeJay crew then sent a mayday to say they were abandoning ship. Four other private vessels and the New Zealand Coastguard were quickly on the scene. Whakatane resident Roger White said he saw some light smoke coming from the front of the vessel which then got heavier. After about 10 minutes, he said, the cabin burst into flames and fire quickly engulfed the vessel. Owners of the PeeJay, Peter and Jenny Tait, said: “We’re extremely upset this has occurred and we are trying to come to terms with it. But we’re extremely proud of our crew and staff for their efforts – and thankful to the emergency responders who assisted in the rescue operation.”

All of a sudden, white smoke came out of all the windows and the top of the boat.

Witness Roger White

World whakatane