Whale watching boat explodes into flames off the Gold Coast as rescue workers rush to save eight people on board
- A whale watching boat was engulfed in flames off the Gold Coast Wednesday
- Emergency rushed to save eight people on board as flames surrounded boat
- Thick black plumes of smoke could be seen from the beachside balconies
Rescue workers have rushed to save people on board a whale watching boat after it exploded into flames off the Gold Coast.
Emergency crews were altered to the fire that was 4.3 nautical miles off the coast of Main Beach around 9.30am on Wednesday.
Thick black plumes of smoke could be seen from the beachside balconies and witnesses described seeing massive flames surrounding the vessel.
A police spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia there were eight people on board the whale watching at the time.
Those people were evacuated on to a life boat before the boat went up in flames and have since been rescued.
They were transported by water police.
Emergency crews were altered to the fire off Main Beach around 9.30am on Wednesday
They all escaped without injury.
The cause of the blaze is not yet known.
The charred wreckage could be seen floating in the water as the remains continued to burn.
Volunteer Marine Rescue Queensland were keeping other boats at a distance while fire crews worked to extinguish the fire.
Thick black plumes of smoke could be seen from the beachside balconies and witnesses described seeing massive flames surrounding the vessel