Four rescued as boat sets on fire and sinks off coast of Dun Laoghaire

Four people have been rescued after the vessel they were travelling on caught fire and sank. The incident unfolded shortly before 4pm on Saturday when the Coast Guard received a call reporting a fire on board the 11-metre pleasure craft a mile-and-a-half off the coast of Dun Laoghaire.

A lifeboat from Dun Laoghaire RNLI reached the scene minutes later and successfully evacuated the four adults who were aboard, bringing them safely to shore. Police, the Dun Laoghaire All Weather Lifeboat and Dublin Port tug also attended the scene alongside Dublin Fire Brigade.

The fire was reported extinguished shortly after 5pm, and the vessel subsequently sank.

A spokesperson for the Department of Transport told Dublin Live: “At approximately 15:45 today an 11-metre pleasure craft with 4 adults called the Coast Guard reporting a fire on board. The vessel was about 1.5 miles NE of Dun Laoghaire

“MRCC Dublin immediately tasked Dun Laoghaire RNLI and at approximately 15:56 Dun Laoghaire RNLI (Inshore Lifeboat) arrived on scene and successfully evacuated the 4 adults and took them ashore to be assessed at the RNLI station, where they were met by HSE and Fire Service personnel.”

“Dun Laoghaire All Weather Lifeboat and Dublin Port tug remained on scene monitoring.

“MRCC Dublin were in liaison with the Dun Laoghaire Coast Guard Unit, Dun Laoghaire RNLI and Dublin Port.

“At approximately 17:15 the vessel fire was reported extinguished and the vessel sunk.”