Brave boatman suffers serious burns

The operator of a leisure boat suffered severe burn injuries after trying to extinguish a blaze that erupted on the vessel.

People can only watch as the leisure boat from Nautica 1992 Water Sports is destroyed by fire in Jumeirah yesterday. Courtesy of Mike Westpheling

DUBAI // A leisure boat operator is being treated for serious burns in a resuscitation room at Rashid Hospital after trying to control a blaze that destroyed his vessel yesterday morning.

Christopher Dias, an Indian employee of Nautica 1992 Water Sports, was alone on the eight-seater boat close to the shore near the Skydive Dubai runway when it burst into flames.

A work colleague, Robert Kennedy, who was on another boat, said Mr Dias was "apparently trying to contain the fire, but when it went out of control, he jumped".

Freddy MacDonald, an instructor at Skydive Dubai who provided first aid, said: "We sent a rescue boat after seeing the fire. But he had already managed to get himself to the shore.

"He bravely stayed on the boat for too long."

Mr Dias was airlifted by Dubai Police helicopter to Rashid Hospital suffering from serious burns to his face, legs and hands, where a spokesman described his injuries as "a serious burn case".

He was being treated in a resuscitation room and is expected to recover, the spokesman said.

"I was filling petrol on the other boat near the marina when I saw Chris's boat on fire," said Mr Kennedy.

"He asked me not to bring my boat close since he was worried the fire could spread. I don't know why he took so long to get off the boat."

Firefighters arrived after Mr Dias had leapt from the boat. "It took less than 30 minutes to control and put out the fire," said Lt Yusuf bin Ghalaita, group commander at the Dubai Civil Defence. "The boat was already near the beach when we arrived."

Officials from Nautica 1992 Water Sports said the six-year-old boat had been destroyed.

Suzy Dillon, one of the two owners, said: "It is such a shock. We don't care about the boat. Chris is our main concern. When he comes out of hospital, we are going to be looking after him."

The company regularly takes tourists for fishing, cruising, windsurfing, sailing and other water sport activities.

Nautica 1992 officials said the boat had been inspected a month ago, and its registration had been renewed.

The company halted operations yesterday. "We are not sure when we will be open again," Ms Dillon said.