Men jump for lives as boat bursts into flames

by staff reporters and Allen Winter | 9th February 2010

A fisherman clung to a chilly bin for nearly half an hour watching his refurbished launch go up in flames off the Western Bay coast yesterday.

Sean Heathcote and friend Wally Carter were fishing four nautical miles west off Mayor Island just before midday when Mr Heathcote smelt smoke in the engine area.

The Hamilton man says less than two minutes later, his 8m launch Sans Souci  burst into flames with 200 litres of diesel on board.

He and Mr Carter, commodore for Whangamata's Ocean Sports Club, made a mayday call on both their radio and a cellphone, threw up some flares, and then hurled themselves into the water. "I smelt that funny hot electrical smell and about a couple of minutes later we were scrambling for our gear as it burst into flames," Mr Heathcote said.

While Mr Carter had his own lifejacket, the boat's lifejackets were in the forward part of the cabin and the acrid black smoke meant Mr Heathcote only had time to grab a chilly bin.

Read more in today's Bay of Plenty Times