Trawler sinks off Ballina; man injured
A man has been injured and a fishing trawler has sunk after it caught fire off Ballina early this morning.
The Ballina Surf Rescue Jet Boat was called by police shortly before 5am after receiving reports that a fishing trawler was on fire. The boat had been fishing about three kilometres off Ballina when the fire started.
Two crew were on board the vessel, Pacific Star, when they smelt smoke and then noticed a fire under the deck.
“One crewman received minor burns to his arm,” said Garry Meredith, the captain of the Ballina Jet Rescue Boat.
“He was attempting to extinguish the blaze and was subsequently burnt.”
The injured crewman was transferred to another trawler and taken back to Ballina Harbour where he was met by friends who took him to hospital.
“The skipper of the trawler was also transferred to another fishing boat and stayed until his own boat burnt to the water-line and then sank,” said Mr Meredith.
“The Surf Rescue team stayed on site to ensure safety but the fire was extremely fierce and there was little we could do. The only thing left was a large gas cylinder which we have retrieved.”
Investigations into the accident are now under way.
