Eight individuals were wounded in a blast aboard a “tourist boat” in the resort town of Fuengirola on the Costa del Sol. Among the injured, three are reported to have sustained severe wounds and have been transported to a medical facility. The incident took place as the motorboat, identified locally as a tourist vessel, was departing from the marina in the Spanish locality.
It remains uncertain whether any British citizens were among those affected. Video footage from the scene depicted firefighters at the marina extinguishing the flames with hoses from land as locals on jet skis and other boats came to assist the distressed passengers and aided in extinguishing the fire.
The alert was raised around 12:20 pm today as several witnesses contacted emergency services upon seeing a dark plume of smoke rising into the air, visible from nearby beaches. The cause of the explosion is currently unknown.
A fisherman in the vicinity stated to a local publication: “It was an open polyester boat, a hazardous combination with fuel due to its rapid flammability.” The boat sank due to the fire. The area has been cordoned off as investigations commence.
This afternoon, the Fuengirola Town Hall issued a statement saying: “The Rescue and Lifesaving Service, the Fire Department, and the Local Police of Fuengirola, along with the Civil Guard, responded to a fire on a boat near the harbor’s mouth. Due to reasons that are still unclear, an explosion occurred, causing the boat to catch fire. Within a short period, rescue teams reached the crew and ensured their safety.
“There were a total of eight individuals onboard, all of whom sustained injuries, with three in serious condition, receiving urgent medical attention. Following the explosion, the boat sank, and authorities from the Andalusian Ports Agency are monitoring the situation closely to evaluate the necessity of anti-spill measures.”
Last September, four British nationals were rescued after their motor yacht caught fire and sank near Mahon, the capital of Menorca. In June of the previous year, a British couple suffered injuries in a boat explosion in Majorca, while a British holidaymaker was among those injured in a boat explosion in Cabo Roig, near Torrevieja, on the Costa Blanca.