Five hurt after Spanish tourist boat catches fire
A catamaran carrying day-tripping tourists along the coast of north-western Spain has caught fire after colliding with another vessel, injuring five people.
Authorities in the Galicia region said that two people sustained serious burns and were airlifted to hospital, with three others treated locally.
El #ServicioMarítimo de la @guardiacivil colabora en la extinción y en el rescate del pasaje y de la tripulación del barco de pasajeros incendiado entre la Isla de la Toja y el puerto de O Grove. pic.twitter.com/piNrjMKQSa
— Guardia Civil (@guardiacivil) July 24, 2018
The boat was travelling between the Galician coast and the small island of Toxa, north of Vigo, on a sightseeing trip.
Spanish media said the boat was carrying 48 passengers and four crew members when it hit a smaller vessel, with a blaze breaking out afterwards.
Some passengers reportedly jumped into the sea as the flames spread.
The blaze sent a thick plume of black smoke over the sea.
