Fishing crew all at sea as vessel catches fire

A crew member was rescued after a fire broke out on a fishing boat in the waters off north Lantau yesterday.

Despite his initial fears that his three colleagues had gone missing, they were later found safe on land.

At 12.23pm yesterday, the cockpit of the 60-meter fishing boat caught fire around 200 meters off the Tsing Chau Wan shore.

Dark and thick smoke blanketed most of the boat, forcing a crew member to jump off.

Shortly afterward, five fireboats and three rescue teams with breathing apparatuses and three fire hoses were deployed to douse the blaze, which was extinguished in 30 minutes.

A Government Flying Service helicopter managed to locate the crew member in the sea and airlifted him to safety. He was sent to North Lantau Hospital for a checkup.

The cause of the fire is still being investigated by police and firemen.

On April 28, three yachts - two 18 meters in length and one measuring 15 meters -docked in Kwun Tong typhoon shelter caught fire.

Witnesses said the three yachts were tied together, and the fire started on one of the yachts before spreading to the other two.

Two of the yachts later sunk.

Nobody was injured in the incident.

On the same day, a 70-meter fishing boat also caught on fire in Shau Kei Wan typhoon shelter.

The boat's crew was evacuated, and two rescue teams with breathing apparatus and a fire hose were deployed to extinguish the blaze.

Police reports said the fire was allegedly caused by a refrigerator on the boat short circuiting.

On Feburary 18, the engine room of a tugboat caught fire in the waters off Stonecutters Island near Kowloon.

A rescue team with breathing apparatus and a fire hose was deployed to douse the blaze. Nobody was injured in the incident.