EXCLUSIVE – Dramatic moment British tourists are rescued after jumping into sea when wooden tourist boat was engulfed in flames in Greece, leaving nine-year-old ‘traumatized’
- The inferno engulfed the boat after flames erupted 300 meters from shore
- All 82 passengers were rescued, but children were still left ‘trumatised’
This is the dramatic moment dozens of tourists were rescued from a burning boat after it went up in flames off the Greek island of Rhodes on Thursday.
British holidaymakers were on board when the inferno engulfed the entire boat after a fire broke out about 300 meters from Stenga beach in Archangelos town.
Passengers told how they were forced to dive into the water below when the entire wooden deck caught fire where they stood.
The Greek coastguard said all 82 passengers were eventually brought ashore, but witnesses said children were still left “trumatized” by the horrific ordeal.
Only ruins remained when the ship was completely destroyed late last night and later sank in Greek waters.
The inferno engulfed the entire boat after flames erupted about 300 meters from Stenga beach in Archangelos town
Passengers told how they were forced to dive into the water before being rescued from nearby boats
TThe fire initially broke out late Thursday afternoon and the fire brigade was immediately called to the scene.
As many jumped into the sea while others were rescued from the ship, flames quickly tore through the ship, covering it from stern to bow.
Shaun Williams, a 55-year-old aircraft engineer from St. Ives, Cornwall, said he and his family wanted to take a boat trip while on vacation.
He said they were on the road for about half an hour when they stopped at Stenga Beach to snorkel.
“We were on the top deck and the crew started screaming, but we couldn’t make it out,” said Shaun. Then we saw the smoke.
“The crew tried to put out the fire, but the boat was made of wood and the fire was growing fast. They started handing out life jackets and a minute later the captain said we should all get out to sea.’
He continued: “There were families with young children and there was a lot of panic. We couldn’t go down the stairs and had to climb over the top rail and lower down to the lower deck.
“Then I saw the fire and realized how bad it was.” He said he told his “family to get in the water now and yelled at others to do the same.”
Flames quickly tore through the ship, covering it from stern to bow as passengers jumped into the sea
Passengers told how they were forced to dive into the water below when the entire wooden deck caught fire where they stood
The fire initially broke out late Thursday afternoon and the fire brigade was immediately called to the scene
“We all jumped in and I would say within a minute or two the place we had been standing was completely ablaze.
Images showed that the fire completely covered the boat while a long plume of smoke was propelled into the air. Tourists were also in shock as they watched the inferno from a lifeboat.
“Boats in the area came to rescue us all and took us to shore,” Shaun said. “The crew asked us all to sit in a restaurant so they could answer to us all. Finally we were allowed to go back. By that time the boat had sunk.
After the boat sank, Greece’s central port authority said they would take measures to tackle marine pollution.
The fire broke out about 300 meters from Stenga beach in the town of Archangelos
After the boat sank, Greece’s central port authority said they would take measures to tackle marine pollution
Authorities said all passengers were in good health and were later taken by bus to their hotels.
Shaun added: ‘At midnight I got a call at my hotel to attend the reception and meet the Port Police. I was taken away to make a statement.
‘I also received a call from the British Consulate this morning asking how we were doing.
“We had no injuries, but my 9-year-old son was traumatized for some time.”