Maine lobstermen credited with saving lives of boaters following yacht fire

Several lobstermen are credited with saving the lives of two boaters off the coast of Georgetown on Saturday.

The 48-foot yacht Titan caught fire several miles off Seguin Island, with flames quickly spreading, prompting the boaters to jump into the water for safety.

According to the U.S. Coast Guard Lt. David J. Letarte, the agency issued an Urgent Mariner Information Broadcast after the boaters called for help reporting their vessel was disabled, and fire was coming from the engine room.

Letarte was able to identify one of the lobster boats involved in pulling the boaters to safety as "My Three Blondes" but added there were vessels involved in the effort.

"We credit them in this case as saving some lives," Letarte said.

The boaters were taken to shore and are ok.

On board one of the other nearby vessels that responded was Deb Kremer, who heard calls for help over the radio.

"The boat was fully engulfed, and burned like that for approximately 40 minutes before sinking," Kremer wrote in an email to Maine's Total Coverage.

The yacht sank in about 200 feet of water, according to the Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard planned to return to the scene of the fire Sunday to investigate.