Eight people injured, three seriously, in fire on leisure boat in Costa del Sol port
The vessel, which was about 6 metres long, "exploded" as soon as it started its journey, according to eye witnesses
Eight people were injured to varying degrees after an explosion occurred at 12.20 today (Saturday) on a leisure boat in Fuengirola. The vessel, about 6 or 7 metres long, caught fire for unknown reasons as it was leaving the port of Fuengirola. Witnesses describe "a big explosion" and assured that all the passengers on the boat were helped by the owners of other boats and jet skis who were in the area where the boat caught fire, near pontoon 2-3.
According to official sources, all the people on board have been injured "in one way or another". Five of them were slightly injured, and three more seriously. The 112 Andalucía emergency services control room received the call a few hours after the explosion warning of several injured people, although it has not yet been able to confirm the condition of these people.
Emergency operators alerted the 061 ambulance service, the Fuengirola Local Police for and fire brigade, Guardia Civil, Red Cross and Salvamento Marítimo maritime rescue service. The first to arrive were the latter and the Guardia Civil, who helped the injured while waiting for the medical services to arrive. Ambulances transferred at least three or four people to hospital, according to eye witnesses and official sources.
"It was a boat without a bridge and made of polyester which is a very bad combination with fuel because it burns very fast," said a fisherman who witnessed the events. The incident happened shortly after the boat began its journey, before reaching the mouth of the harbour. Firefighters from Fuengirola finished extinguishing the fire.
The paramedics who were dispatched to the scene confirmed to 112 that eight people were injured: three of them were evacuated to the Hospital Costa del Sol in Marbella (two 35-year-old women and another 36-year-old), another three to the Hospital Regional in Malaga (a 40-year-old man, a 37-year-old woman and another 38-year-old woman) and two other women received assistance at the scene without needing to be taken to hospital (one 31-year-old woman and another 37-year-old woman).
