Story By: John Feng, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Asia Wire Report

Video Credit: AsiaWire

This footage shows members of the 30-strong crew and passengers aboard a fishing vessel swimming for their lives to safety as their boat goes up in flames.

The fire happened just before 7pm local time on 4th June as the vessel was 14 nautical miles south-west of Taiwan’s outlying island of Pengjia – also known as Agincourt.

The island was named by Commander Charles J Bullock of the HMS Serpent and has continued to be used as one of the islet’s names today.

Pictures Credit: AsiaWire

Videos taken by nearby vessels shows the cabin and deck of Ho Wang 88 completely blaze, with fishermen and crew seen swimming towards nearby boats wearing bright orange life jackets.

The recreational fishing boat carrying 25 patrons and five crew were rescued by nearby fishing vessels Chihai 6, Dayao 888 amongst others.

Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration said it dispatched four patrol boats to assist in the rescue, with authorities confirming that all 30 had survived the scare.

Ho Wang 88, which is registered at Shen’ao Fishing Port in Taiwan’s northern city of New Taipei, was carrying one foreign patron and 24 Taiwanese customers.

It was manned by a crew of two Taiwan nationals and three foreign deckhands, the coastguard said.

The fire has since been put out the fishing boat towed back to port.

The cause of the blaze was still being investigated at the time of writing.