FOUR people have been rescued after a boat was engulfed in flames in Dublin Bay.
The alarm was raised with the Coast Guard at around 3.45pm on Saturday.
Those on board the 11-metre pleasure craft around 1.5 miles north-east of Dún Laoghaire were rescued by a crew from the RNLI before the boat sank.
Dún Laoghaire RNLI said the rescue was completed by its inshore lifeboat crew within 13 minutes of being alerted by the Marine Rescue Co-ordination Centre (MRCC) in Dublin.
It added that just five minutes after the rescue, the cabin of the pleasure boat was engulfed in flames and drifting towards a tanker, which was forced to weigh anchor and clear away.
Dún Laoghaire RNLI's all-weather lifeboat monitored the condition and location of the burning vessel until the arrival of a firefighting tugboat from Dublin Port.
The burning vessel was reported extinguished and sank at around 5.15pm.
Dún Laoghaire RNLI said the boat's four passengers were brought ashore to be passed into the care of waiting paramedics.
"The skipper on the boat had acted responsibly and followed correct safety procedures, prioritising the safety of his passengers in this difficult situation," said Paul Cummins of Dún Laoghaire RNLI.
"Without his quick action, today could have taken a very different turn."
Meanwhile, Aoife Ward, Dún Laoghaire Lifeboat Press Officer, added: "Time is of the essence in an emergency, so if you see someone in difficulty on the water, please ring 999 or 112 and ask for the Coast Guard."
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