Fishing Boat Catches Fire Off Raigad Coast, All 18 Crew Members Rescued

An 18-member fishing boat caught fire off the coast of Alibag, Maharashtra. Indian Navy, Coast Guard, and local police rescued all crew members safely.

The Indian Coast Guard and Navy rescued all the 18 crew members from the burning fishing boat.

Source : ANI

A fishing boat caught fire off the coast of Alibag in Raigad district of Maharashtra in the early hours of Friday. The trawler owned by Rakesh Gan alerted the authorities concerned after which Indian Navy, Coast Guard and Raigad police rushed to the spot.

All 18 crew members onboard the boat were rescued safely, said Superintendent of Police, Raigad. 

"The fishing boat of one Rakesh Gan caught fire 6-7 nautical miles from the coast in Raigad district in In Akshi Alibaug, around 3-4 am," said the police official. 

"Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy rescued all 18 crew members from the boat safely," the SP said. 

#WATCH | Maharashtra: The fishing boat of one Rakesh Gan caught fire 6-7 nautical miles from the coast in Raigad district in In Akshi Alibaug, around 3-4 am. Indian Coast Guard and Indian Navy rescued all 18 crew members from the boat safely: Raigad SP

(Video: Raigad Police) pic.twitter.com/6f4MFm0aQn

— ANI (@ANI) February 28, 2025

The Indian Coast Guard ship SavitriBai Phule, on patrol, spotted the burning boat responded to the situation and confirmed that all fishermen from the boat had embarked on another vessel in the area, reported News18. 

“Our teams ensured that every crew member was rescued and safely embarked on an alternative vessel,” said a spokesperson from the Coast Guard, reported India Today. 

The ship later undertook firefighting operations to contain the flames and prevent further damage. 

As per the preliminary reports, the fire spread rapidly across the vessel, leaving the crew with very little time to react. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Local authorities and maritime safety officials are working to determine the exact cause of the incident. 

As per the News18 report, the flames had reportedly destroyed nearly 80 per cent of the vessel while equipment like fishing nets was damaged. 

No casualties were reported in the incident despite the intensity of the blaze.