Six rescued from burning boat in Jones Inlet

Six Nassau men were rescued from a burning, 46-foot game fishing boat named No Merci just east of Jones Inlet on Friday afternoon, authorities said.

"The vessel is still on fire," Coast Guard spokeswoman Jetta Disco said at 6:45 p.m., about an hour after receiving a mayday call on the international hailing and distress frequency.

The cause was not immediately available, but it is believed to have started in the engine room, Disco said.

The six, friends in their 50s, had gone out fishing on the opening day of sea bass season, they said.

"We were about to enter the inlet and the boat went on fire -- it seemed to be coming from the engine room," said Joe, a Massapequa resident who did not give his last name. "We sent a mayday, put on life vests and were about to get into the life raft when the Coast Guard came, and we boarded the rescue vessels . . . It was pretty scary."

Three fire departments with boats -- Wantagh, Freeport and Merrick -- tried to put out the flames as the vessel burned 100 yards east of the Jones Beach inlet on the ocean side. The smoke was clearly visible half a mile away.

No Merci's captain, also the owner of the boat, remained with firefighters as his five friends were brought ashore.

Joe said the men left not only a cooler full of fish but also their cash, cellphones and other items on board, losing "probably about $1,000 in tackle and fishing equipment alone."

"I tried to go back in the cabin but flames were shooting out," he said. "We had a nice big cooler on board of cod, sea bass & ling -- all gone now."

Several agencies responded, including the Nassau police marine bureau, Hempstead Bay police and local fire departments, authorities said.

At Jones Beach, Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Robert Sebastiao said one person had minor injuries but no one was taken to the hospital.

"We transferred the captain of the vessel to our boat," said Sebastio, the officer of the day at the Coast Guard station. "The other passengers were transferred to the Hempstead Bay Constable's rescue boat."

By 8 p.m., the vessel had been pushed ashore onto Jones Beach, the Coast Guard said.

Nassau police said the boat had been burned to a shell.