Passengers narrowly escape after sailing boathouse suddenly catches fire in south India

Passengers narrowly escape after sailing boathouse suddenly catches fire in south India

A double-decker boathouse carrying 16 passengers, 13 tourists and 3 crew members, suddenly caught fire while sailing across a lake in south India.

The incident took place on January 23 near the Pathiramnal Island in Vembanad lake, Muhamma Panchayat, Alappuzha district, in the south Indian state of Kerala.

Visuals show the rescuers trying to extinguish the flames which had engulfed the boathouse.

Teams of rescuers were seen boarding the burning cruise as they tried to use the floating water lettuce to control the fire.

Footage also shows the interior of the boat being destroyed by the raging fire.

Fortunately, the rescuers were able to control the situation by constantly throwing the aquatic plants onto the flames, smothering them.

According to reports, the boat had caught fire in an area with sandbars where the water level was only 5-foot-deep.

The passengers and crew members jumped into the shallow part of the lake while a passenger boat from the State Water Transport Department was first to reach them.

Reports also state that the cruise was operating without the necessary legal documents and the cause of the incident is being investigated.