Dramatic video captures tourist boat engulfed in flames as passengers scramble to escape burning vessel

Harrowing video shows the infinitesimal a radical of Nebraska vacationers narrowly escaped decease aft their tourer vessel went up successful flames conscionable disconnected the seashore of a fashionable Florida formation destination. 

The incidental unfolded conscionable earlier 11 a.m. connected Thursday, erstwhile a radical of tourists from Omaha boarded the 40-foot vas named "Size Matters" for a travel from Fort Lauderdale to the Florida Keys, according to WSVN. 

"We were moving with respective different MTI boats, we were connected similar a poker tally oregon get together," vessel proprietor Peter Fink told the outlet. 

As the radical was astir a 4th mile disconnected the seashore of Miami Beach, they reportedly noticed a burning odor coming from the vessel.

CRUISE SHIP ABRUPTLY CHANGES COURSE TO RESCUE PEOPLE IN DISTRESSED BOAT: 'KNEW SOMETHING' WAS UP

A 40-foot vessel named "Size Matters" became engulfed successful flames arsenic it carried a radical of tourists from Nebraska astir a 4th mile disconnected the seashore of Miami Beach, Florida connected Thursday, March 12, 2026.  (Cristian Valles via Storyful)

"Smelled immoderate fume and, you know, slowed down, figured retired it’s our boat," Fink said. 

Video captured by witnesses shows the five-engine vas engulfed successful flames, with heavy plumes of achromatic fume rising into the air. 

Fink and the radical of travelers reportedly began utilizing a occurrence extinguisher to effort to support the occurrence from spreading, but yet determined they needed to flight the burning vas and began trying to awesome to adjacent boaters. 

"We waved down a vessel actually, changeable the occurrence extinguisher a spot up into the aerial truthful they could spot the fume from the occurrence extinguisher and it benignant of caught their attraction and they pulled implicit to america and they were amazing," rider Jason James told WSVN. 

An Ocean Rescue vessel subsequently noticed the flames and rushed to the vessel to rescue its passengers, with the household members coming unneurotic to assistance each different to safety.

FATAL FIRE ENGULFS CRUISE SHIP WITH HUNDREDS OF PASSENGERS ABOARD: ‘I PANICKED'

Miami-Dade Fire Rescue vessels extinguish a occurrence that broke retired connected a 40-foot vessel named "Size Matters" astir a 4th mile disconnected the seashore of Miami Beach, Florida connected Thursday, March 12, 2026.  (Miami-Dade Fire Rescue)

"We had our heroes present that saved america all, threw america connected the different boat," rider Irelynn James reportedly said. 

Following the passengers’ evacuation, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units arrived by aerial and oversea to assistance successful exigency efforts, and aboriginal towed the charred remains to the adjacent Haulover Inlet. 

"Luckily nary 1 fell in, cipher – we didn’t person to leap in, truthful it’s each good," Fink told the outlet. 

FLORIDA BOATER RESCUES TWO PEOPLE FROM VESSEL ENGULFED IN FLAMES OFF COAST

No injuries were reported aft a occurrence broke retired connected a 40-foot vessel named "Size Matters" astir a 4th mile disconnected the seashore of Miami Beach, Florida connected Thursday, March 12, 2026.  (Miami-Dade Fire Rescue)

Despite the vessel being wholly destroyed successful the blaze, the family’s luggage was reportedly unharmed and recovered from the wreckage, allowing them to proceed connected with their trip.  

"I figured it wasn’t my clip to spell yet," James said. "It was their travel and I decided to tag on truthful I could bash thing for my day successful 2 much days; I’m conscionable trying to get to 20."

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Authorities person not specified the origin of the occurrence and nary injuries were reported, Miami-Dade Fire Rescue confirmed to Fox News Digital.