The Sealine F34 motor cruiser Lynx Effect blazes dramatically, after skipper Steve White and crew Andy Nums were rescued by the coastguard. Pictures by Steve White.
SLIDESHOW/VIDEO
AN ISLAND sailor has told how he and his crewman were plucked to safety after the luxury motor cruiser he was skippering burst into flames in The Solent.Steve White, 54, a sailing instructor from Island Harbour, took dramatic pictures as the boat blazed after his rescue by Solent Coastguard.
Mr White, a former Royal Naval lieutenant commander, was teaching on board the Sealine F34, Lynx Effect, on Friday afternoon when he and his crew member, Andy Nums from Rochdale, noticed smoke pouring from the stern.
As the smoke thickened, Mr White made a mayday call to Solent Coastguard, who rushed to the stricken yachtsmen’s aid — rescuing them minutes before flames engulfed the vessel.
A 200m exclusion zone was set up by the fire service against the risk of the vessel’s gas cylinder exploding.
It exploded an hour after the beginning of the fire, sending a jet of flame from the motor launch, which later sank in the middle of Stokes Bay, near Gosport.
Mr White said: “I was in the Navy for 36 years. I spent so many hours doing fire safety training that you just go into automatic. Afterwards, Andy seemed a bit pale, though.”
After two hours, the £200,000 vessel sank beneath the waves. She will shortly be recovered for a full investigation into why she caught fire and sank.
Mr White told the County Press the vessel was only six months old and was in very good condition.
He said: “I want to thank the emergency services for their prompt and professional assistance. I especially want to thank the skippers of the Yachts Ruff and Ready and Commodore Yachting’s Canberra Star for being available for help."
Reporter: davidn@iwcpmail.co.uk
Fire on Sealine F34 motor cruiser Lynx Effect .
Video by Steve White.
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