Qld: Luxury yacht sinks after being engulfed by flames

AAP General News (Australia)
12-25-2007
Qld: Luxury yacht sinks after being engulfed by flames

BRISBANE, Dec 25 AAP - A 35-foot yacht has caught fire and sunk at Airlie Beach in
Queensland's north.

Passers by noticed flames coming from the instrument panel on the yacht, which was
moored about 100 metres north of the Abel Point Marina rock wall, at about 11.20pm (AEST)
yesterday, police said.

The bystanders attempted to douse the flames with a small bail from their inflatable
dinghy, but were unable to put the fire out.

They returned with two fire extinguishers but the fire spread throughout the yacht.

The yacht then sank as the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service attempted to extinguish the blaze.

The owners of the vessel were later located and informed of the fire.

"The owners of the yacht are devastated," a police spokesman said.

Emergency services are investigating the cause of the fire.

AAP dmc/goc/

KEYWORD: YACHT

2007 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.