A family of five was safely rescued from a 38ft cruiser after it went on fire just after noon on Sunday near Castle Harbour, Portumna, Co Galway, at the northernmost end of Lough Derg.
The Lough Derg RNLI lifeboat was launched, as was Rescue 115, the Irish Coast Guard Search and Rescue helicopter, based at Shannon, and the Killaloe Coast Guard Search and Rescue boat.
Extra emergency support was called in due to a significant risk to the many boat users nearby because there was extra fuel onboard the burning vessel.
Firefighters from the Portumna Fire Service worked on putting out the fire on the cruiser, which was moved to Carrigahorig Bay so as not to be a threat to other vessels close by.
At one stage the cruiser drifted into the main navigation channel, while the fire service was still working on fully extinguishing the blaze.
Aoife Kennedy of Lough Derg RNLI urged water users to “always be alert to the dangers of fire on a boat and always carry a mean of communication so that you can call the emergency services for help”.