COWES RNLI lifeboat was called out following a distress call a boat was on fire on The Solent this afternoon (Saturday).

Solent Coastguard received a distress call from the crew of a motorcruiser off Lepe at around 12.40pm.

Isle of Wight County Press: A fire crew from Cowes waiting at Trinity Landing to assist in the operation today (Saturday).A fire crew from Cowes waiting at Trinity Landing to assist in the operation today (Saturday).

The crew had transferred to a RIB after the fire, caused by a faulty, overheated engine on the 31ft long wooden vessel, broke out.

While Cowes RNLI were en route, they had managed to extinguish the fire before they arrived.

Isle of Wight County Press: Cowes RNLI crewmen checking the motorcruiser over after there was a fire on board.Cowes RNLI crewmen checking the motorcruiser over after there was a fire on board.

The vessel was then towed back to Trinity Landing in Cowes, where they were met by a fire crew from Cowes and coastguard rescue teams from The Needles and Bembridge, at the request of Solent Coastguard.

The Cowes harbourmaster was also in attendance. 

Isle of Wight County Press: The motorcruiser being towed into Cowes.The motorcruiser being towed into Cowes.

Firefighters used thermal imaging cameras and doused the smoking engine with a hose.

The boat had been taken out from a boatyard on the River Medina after repairs and was heading back to its home port on the mainland when the fire broke out.