MERSING, Aug 5 — Twenty crew members of a fishing boat escaped a fiery end when their boat caught fire in the waters of Kuala Endau, Pahang, Thursday night.

Mersing Maritime Zone director Khairul Nizam Misran said the boat caught fire at 9.30pm at 13.7 nautical miles northeast of Kuala Endau.

Acting on a report, he said the Perkasa patrol boat was dispatched to the location and found that all the victims who were Laotians, had been rescued by a local fishing boat sailing nearby.

"All the victims were not injured and were taken to Teluk Gading Maritime Post to be handed over to their employer, who is also the owner of the boat.

"According to the victim, the fire broke out in the engine room before it spread to all parts of the boat,” he said in a statement today. — Bernama