MAN JUMPS OFF BURNING SAILBOAT NEAR QUEENSLAND'S GOLD COAST
Sunday
1 Feb 2015
A
man has jumped overboard from a burning boat after its engine caught fire in
waters off the Gold Coast.
The
fire started on the 40-foot boat just after 11:00am about 25 kilometres off
Surfers Paradise.
The
man, in his 50s, suffered burns to his hands, face and legs before being forced
to jump into the water.
He
was rescued by a nearby boat and taken to the Gold Coast University Hospital.
Queensland
Fire and Emergency Services officer Neil Dover said the vessel was gutted.
"They
contacted Queensland Fire and Emergency Services and we responded with crews
with VMR Queensland we then extinguished the fire and the boat sank in its
location off shore," he said.