A fierce fire destroyed a cabin-cruiser from stem to stern in Comino on Sunday night.

The blaze took hold at about 12.15am (Monday) in Sta Marija Bay.

Three people who were onboard jumped into the sea and were rescued by nearby boats.

"The fire started in the fly bridge (top section) of the boat, a few neighbouring boats tried to alert the sleeping crew by shouting and blowing their horns," a woman who was nearby said.

"Two boats sped over and we saw a few people being transported out of the boat to neighbouring boats. The fire spread quickly with the whole boat and its tender (or jet ski, we couldn’t tell) rapidly being covered in flames," she added.

The AFM assisted in putting the fire out. The yacht ended up barely afloat, with its stern submerged, its superstructure and cabins gutted, but still at bow anchor.  

No one was injured.