A Narrow Escape from Fire: Skipper’s Composure Saves 4 Lives

What was meant to be a simple fishing trip in the lagoon of Flic-en-Flac nearly turned into a disaster on Wednesday afternoon, 14 August. Deepak R., a resident of Pointe-aux-Piments, was out on the water with friends Jersley J. from Grand-Gaube, Adrien P. from Grand-Baie, and Kevin L. from Rose-Hill when a technical malfunction took a dire turn.

While enjoying their outing, the boat’s engine caught fire. “The engine started to sputter, and I knew we needed to head back, but just as I turned the boat, the explosion occurred,” Deepak recounted, still in shock, during an interview with Défi Media Group.

The explosion triggered an immediate fire, the flames quickly engulfing the vessel.

Confronted with this terrifying scenario, Deepak remained remarkably calm and issued clear instructions to his companions:

“When the explosion happened, the fire took hold. You can’t throw saltwater on it; it would only make it worse,” he explained.

Realizing that he could not control the blaze, Deepak urged his friends to jump into the water: “I told them we had to leap.” Following his lead, all four men plunged into the lagoon and swam for approximately 15 minutes before being rescued by another boat.

Fortunately, they all emerged unharmed, but the ordeal left them shaken.

The National Coast Guard (NCG) received an alert around 4:30 PM and quickly dispatched teams to the scene, alongside local firefighters.

The police in Flic-en-Flac, in collaboration with the NCG, have launched an investigation to uncover the circumstances surrounding the incident.

After providing initial statements, the survivors were able to return home later that evening.

Source: Defi Media