A tourist boat exploded into flames as 92 people onboard were forced to leap into the sea.
The catamaran encountered a short circuit in one of its engines while sailing, preliminary reports indicate.
The fire spread quickly throughout the boat and the 89 tourists and three crew members were forced to evacuate.
READ MORE: Desperate passenger runs onto runway to stop flight from leaving without him
Dramatic images show victims in the water as flames and thick smoke billow from the catamaran.
Other footage shows the maritime authorities arriving on the scene to deal with the blaze.
The maritime authorities activated their rescue protocols and the 92 victims were all picked up from the sea.
A spokesperson for the General Maritime Directorate said: “The vessel was on a tourist trip when it reported the fire in the propulsion machinery so emergency protocols were immediately activated.”
The victims were brought back to the Marine Life Centre in Santa Marta in northern Colombia yesterday (3 March), as reported by Need To Know.
One of the passengers, Carlos Gutiérrez, said: “They told us to stay calm, but when we saw the smoke and the fire, panic took hold of everyone.
“We were only thinking about saving ourselves.
“There were people who were injured when they jumped into the water or tried to swim to the rescue boats.”
Carla Méndez, a tourist from Bogotá, said: “It was a terrifying moment, we heard screams and saw people jumping into the water.”
Port captain César Grisales said: “The passengers were transferred to the dock where they received medical checks.”
No serious injuries were reported.
The vessel, named Katamaran Tayrona, is owned by the company Taximarino.
An investigation into the cause of the fire is currently underway.
One day before the blaze, a tourist bank sank in the nearby Rosario Islands.
Forty holidaymakers and three crew members were stranded in the sea as the tourist boat capsized and sank.
The Colombian Navy, through its Coast Guard units in Cartagena, responded quickly to the emergency.
They were also accompanied by several civilian vessels in the area.
Fortunately, no fatalities or missing persons were reported.
READ MORE: Mayor drags man from car and beats him in road rage attack
