Crew of 15 saved from Spanish boat that went down in flames

The entire 15-man crew on board a blazing trawler were lucky to escape with their lives, according to Castletownbere RNLI’s lifeboat operations manager, Paul Stevens.

‘A photograph of the vessel in flames shows just how serious and life-threatening the situation was,’ said Mr Stevens. 'The 15 people who arrived here in Castletownbere today were extremely lucky to have survived the ordeal.’

The crew of the Nuevo San Juan, which fished out of the northern Spanish port of Burela, raised the alarm at 7am this morning after the engine room caught fire.

A marine rescue co-ordination centre in northern Spain launched a rescue effort after receiving their distress call, but it was another Spanish trawler that came to their aid.

The crew on board the Nuevo Confurco was able to get close enough to the stricken vessel to rescue everyone on board.

The 15 crew members were aboard the sister ship when  the fire spread quickly from the engine room.

The fire engulfed the vessel causing it to burn out and sink in heavy seas a long distance off the south west coast, said to be equal distance from Ireland and Spain.