Coast Guard rescues 11 from burning yacht

CHATHAM (FOX 25 / MyFoxBoston.com) - The Coast Guard has rescued 11 people from a 44-foot yacht that burned off Cape Cod, about three miles south of Wychmere Harbor.

The Coast Guard says a crew from Chatham responded to a distress call from the yacht Bronze Monkey at about 11:35 p.m. on Friday.

Petty Officer 1st Class Matthew Hussey says when they arrived on the scene the passengers and crew were all on the bow of the yacht without lifejackets, which were trapped in the burning cabin.

He says several of the passengers couldn't swim.

Hussey says the yacht became fully engulfed in flames about three minutes after everyone was pulled to safety. It sank in about 22-feet of water. The fire is believed to have started in the engine room. There were no injuries.