Woman under police guard in hospital after boat explodes off Airlie Beach

A yacht has exploded in flames off the Queensland coast minutes after police were called to a disturbance aboard, sending a man and woman into the ocean for safety. The woman suffered burns to her legs and is under police guard in hospital.

A woman is under police guard in hospital suffering burns to her legs after a boat exploded off the Queensland coast late on Friday afternoon.

Police say they were called to a 40-foot yacht about 500m off the coast of Airlie Bay at Airlie Beach about 5.40pm following reports of a disturbance on board.

The boat burns off the coast of Airlie Beach. Photo: Stephen Margetts.

A QPS spokeswoman said the boat burst into flames as water police made their approach, forcing a woman to jump overboard while a man also on board managed to escape the flames on a dinghy.

The woman sustained burns to the legs and was taken to Proserpine Hospital, where she remains under police guard,

The man is not believed to have been seriously injured.

The boat burns off the coast of Airlie Beach. Photo: Stephen Margetts.

Paramedics were unable to confirm the woman’s condition.

Triple-0 calls from witnesses on the shore reported the boat exploding after it caught alight.

A QFES spokeswoman said fire crews were still attempting to extinguish the fire at 8.30pm.