Photo: Supplied/Matt Rawlings
Passengers on board a Waiheke Island ferry have been safely rescued after the boat caught fire in Auckland's Hauraki Gulf.
Police say they were notified of the incident about 4pm Thursday afternoon and three rescue boats were sent to help.
All passengers were safely taken off the boat.
A man on a boat nearby Motutapu Island, Bruce Cameron, said he heard a May Day call on VHF radio about 3.50pm about a boat in trouble.
He said he had heard the vessel was on fire, and could see it was about 1.5 miles from where he was.
A Fullers Ferry had turned back to help, he said, but the height difference between the two vessels and the rocky conditions of the sea meant passengers could not be safely transferred.
A Coastguard NZ spokesperson said the Maritime Operations Centre, who monitor channel 16 on the VHF, were notified around 3.40pm.
Initial information suggests the ferry had 18 passengers and six crew members, she said.
Coastguard Howick and police boats took Fire and Emergency personnel to the scene.
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