Burning vessel goes down in lough

The drifting vessel was carrying fuel and gas canisters

A fishing boat which burst into flames while drifting in Belfast Lough has sunk.

Five crew members had to be rescued from the water when they abandoned the Bellatrix after it caught fire.

Part of the coastal path at Cultra in County Down was closed by police over fears that gas canisters onboard the vessel could explode.

However, as a fire control vessel began to spray water on the stricken fishing boat, it disappeared beneath the waves.

A 300-metre exclusion zone was put in place around the vessel as it has 300 litres of diesel and three gas canisters onboard.

The Coastguard said they had been waiting for the fire onboard the boat, which is registered in Kilkeel, to burn out.

Spokesman Mark Clarke said crew members from the boat were rescued from the sea by another vessel, the Amity, which was nearby when the fire broke out at about 1300 BST on Friday.

He said the vessel had just left port to begin fishing when the fire broke out.

The crew were brought to shore and were then taken to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast where their condition is stable.