Only a few piles of floating debris were found when the Coastguard NZ Steel Rescue crew arrived at the scene of the Manukau Harbour boat fire. Photo / Coastguard Waiuku
Only a few piles of floating debris were found when the Coastguard NZ Steel Rescue crew arrived at the scene of the Manukau Harbour boat fire. Photo / Coastguard Waiuku
A smouldered chilly bin of fish was all that remained after a boat was engulfed in flames and sank in the Manukau Harbour today, sparking a dramatic rescue.
A family of three were about 300m offshore from Āwhitu when the engine on their 4.5m boat exploded, with the engine cowlingflying off and hitting a man in the head.
The man put the anchor down and the trio moved to the bow of the vessel to get away from the flames.
Meanwhile, a person back on shore who heard the explosion and saw black smoke coming from the boat called emergency services about 3.30pm.
The three people jumped overboard as flames took hold of their vessel. They were picked up by another boat nearby who took them ashore to the Matakawau Pt Boat Ramp, where they were assessed by paramedics for minor injuries.
Coastguard NZ Steel Rescue volunteer crew member Nigel Griffiths said the family of three were cold and wet but lucky to be alive.
"It could've been a very different outcome if things hadn't gone their way.
The charred remains of a chilly bin recovered by the Coastguard NZ Steel Rescue crew. Photo / Coastguard Waiuku
"[The man] just kept reliving how quickly it went and how lucky they were that there was no one at the back of the boat when it happened. Just a stroke of luck that everyone was up the front."
