A small pleasure craft caught fire Friday morning shortly after setting out from the dock.
Fire Chief Ian Baikie said the 34-foot long boat was out at sea when the fire broke out just before 10:30 a.m.
“The boat had left the dock in Campbell River and it wasn’t long out when the engine caught fire,” Baikie said. “He called the Coast Guard which put hoses on it but they couldn’t get it out.”
Baikie said the Coast Guard cutter, the Cape Palmerston, removed the occupants from the boat and then towed the craft to the cruise ship terminal where fire crews were waiting.
Two fire trucks and 10 fire fighters were on scene and used hose lines to extinguish the fire. Baikie said the cause of the fire, which broke out just minutes after the boat left the harbour, is unknown.