Tourists rescued from boat that caught fire and sank off Great Barrier Reef island

The group of more than 40 was forced to flee on life rafts when the 23-metre catamaran began sinking 10 nautical miles from Lady Musgrave Island

Eleven people were hospitalised after more than 40 people escaped a tourist boat that became engulfed in flames and began sinking on the Great Barrier Reef off the central Queensland coast.

The 23m (75-foot) catamaran, Spirit of 1770, was 10 nautical miles from Lady Musgrave Island, east of Gladstone, around 4pm on Wednesday when its 42 passengers and four crew were forced to jump from the burning boat and seek refuge in life rafts after a fire in the engine room spread.