Fishing Vessel Catches Fire Off Christchurch Coast, Crew Rescued After Mayday Call, Two Treated For Smoke Inhalation

Christchurch, New Zealand— Smoke was seen billowing five nautical miles off Banks Peninsula early Friday after a commercial fishing vessel reported an engine room fire and issued a mayday. Three crew members abandoned to a life raft as flames spread. Coastguard and a nearby fishing boat pulled them from the water. Two were treated for smoke inhalation.

The distress call went out at 6:18 a.m. The vessel, a 17-meter trawler registered in Lyttelton, was hauling near Motunau Island when crew noticed thick black smoke from below deck. The skipper told Maritime NZ the fire started near the main engine and quickly filled the wheelhouse. They cut fuel and tried extinguishers but lost power.

"We had maybe four minutes before we could not breathe in there," one crew member told rescuers after reaching shore. Coastguard Canterbury said sea conditions were moderate, with a one-meter swell, which helped the rescue. A good Samaritan vessel, the FV Marlin, answered the mayday first and stood by until Coastguard arrived.

Fire crews met the survivors at Naval Point. Two men, aged 42 and 49, were taken to Christchurch Hospital for observation after inhaling smoke. The third crewman refused treatment. All three were wearing lifejackets. Coastguard said the quick decision to abandon ship saved lives. The burning trawler was left adrift with its hull still intact but heavily scorched.

By mid-morning, a tug towed the vessel toward Lyttelton while fire service monitors kept watch for flare-ups. Maritime NZ dispatched an investigator to assess pollution risk. Diesel and fishing gear remained on board. An exclusion zone of 200 meters was set around the vessel as it moved. Officials said no oil slick had been observed yet.

The vessel's owner said the boat had passed a safety survey in August. Engine maintenance logs will be seized as part of the investigation. The Transport Accident Investigation Commission said it was aware of the incident and was gathering initial information to decide if a full inquiry is needed. Mechanical failure is suspected but not confirmed.

Local fishermen said the boat was known in the fleet and had been operating out of Lyttelton for more than a decade. One said engine fires are every fisherman's worst fear offshore. The union representing maritime workers called for a review of fire suppression systems on smaller commercial vessels under 20 meters.

The towed trawler is now moored in Lyttelton under guard. Investigators will board once it cools and is declared safe. The two hospitalized crew members are expected to be discharged tonight.