Two crewmen were rescued by the Coast Guard after their fishing vessel caught fire and sank. The incident happened 20 miles west of Cape Blanco. The two fishermen aboard the 47-foot vessel were able to escape to a life raft before the fire consumed the vessel. A lighthouse keeper at Cape Blanco noticed the burning vessel and reported it to the Coast Guard. The details of how the vessel caught fire are unknown at this time.
All vessels must be prepared for emergencies such as this. Fire aboard vessels at sea are extremely dangerous because of the difficulty in fighting the fire. Safety equipment such as fire extinguishers, life rafts, EPIRBS, and VHF radios all should be updated and kept in working order.