Couple Jump To Safety From Blazing Yacht

A couple have been forced to abandon their yacht after its engine caught fire near Poole Harbour.

Smoke was seen coming from the engine room of the vessel on Saturday evening and when flames appeared, the man and woman on board made the decision to disembark and clamber aboard a passing motorboat.

The fire took hold of the yacht cabin and black smoke was soon billowing across the Swash Channel.

Two RNLI lifeboats were launched and arrived on the scene within eight minutes.

A spokeswoman for the RNLI said: "There were a lot of vessels in the vicinity so the lifeboat crew moved vessels away, securing the area around the burning boat, cordoning it off.

"They transferred the casualties from the motorboat on board the lifeboat, they assessed the situation, establishing how much fuel was on-board and if there were any gas bottles or anything else inflammable.

"The all-weather lifeboat swiftly arrived and was preparing its salvage pump and fire hose, the crew began to douse the fire down, the vessel was drifting northeast."

Gavin McGuinness, volunteer senior helmsman, said: "The boat on fire required immediate action, as it was a hazard to shipping.

"It could have been an environmental issue if it had gone down.

"There were a lot of vessels in the area who were also at risk if the fuel or canisters had gotten alight."

The yacht was towed back to harbour by the lifeboat and the couple were unharmed.