A yacht was destroyed by fire after catching alight in County Down, Northern Ireland early yesterday morning. The fierce fire engulfed a 40ft two-masted glass fibre yacht near Rostrevor Pier.

Kilkeel RNLI volunteer lifeboat crew were alerted to the fiercely burning 40ft two-masted glass fibre yacht, which was anchored southsouth east of Rostrevor Pier,Carlingford Lough.

The owner had been contacted and confirmed there were two gas cylinders aboard the yacht but no people.

The Kilkeel lifeboat Frank William Walton was launched at 2.20am and quickly reached the stricken yacht which very quickly was ablaze from bow to stern.

One of the propane gas cylinders had already exploded so the lifeboat with, four fire-fighters from Warrenpoint and a mobile fire fighting pump aboard, stood off at a safe distance.

When the fire had somewhat subsided the lifeboat returned to the yacht and the flames were extinguished.

The lifeboat left the firefighters and the pump ashore at Warrenpoint and returned safely to the boathouse in Kilkeel at 6.45am.

Helm Gerry Smyth said: ‘It was vital that the lifeboat crew, the firefighters and the lifeboat were kept out of danger whilst there was the possibility of the gas cylinders exploding.

‘The yacht was extensively damaged and still afloat when we left the scene but importantly no lives were lost.’

See article at Pratical Boat Owner – click here