8.55pm - UPDATE
More than 300 passengers and crew were evacuated from the Fullers ferry Superflyte late this afternoon when it developed a fire in the engine room after leaving Waiheke Island.
All 311 passengers and six crew have been accounted for after the fire broke out abouty 5.20pm, 20 minutes after
the ferry left the island bound for Auckland.
Fullers general manager Michael Fitchett said it was a "textbook rescue" of passengers and crew.
While the exact cause of the fire was being investigated, at this stage it was thought to be the result of an electrical fault.
"Three other Fullers vessels were alongside the Superflyte to render assistance within eight minutes of the fire alert being made," he said.
The fire was put out by Fullers crew on board the vessel and it was able to continue toward Auckland without the immediate evacuation of passengers.
However, a control failure resulting from the fire meant the boat had to anchor in Tamaki Strait and passengers were transferred over a 20 minute period to the support vessels which then took them back to Auckland.
Passengers were met by Fullers staff at the company's Auckland terminal.
Mr Fitchett said he understood a teen-aged boy hurt his leg in the evacuation process," he said.
"Apart from this injury it appears everyone else got off the vessel without incident.
"People seem to have been very happy with the evacuation process and the fire procedures that were immediately put in place," he said.
The Superflyte has been secured and no-one allowed on board until it can be inspected by the Maritime Safety Authority to determine the cause of the fire tomorrow morning, Mr Fitchett said.
- NZPA
