Fire at Sea off the Coast of Estepona, Costa del Sol Spain

THERE has been a great deal of speculation on social media this weekend concerning a plume of smoke appearing on the horizon opposite to Estepona Port.

Three stories have circulated, one that this was a drug boat that had caught fire, two that it was a six-metre fishing boat and three that it was an exercise put on by the Salvamento Marítimo (the Spanish sea rescue group).

The skipper of a Menorquin 55 vessel which had just left the harbour was convinced that this was a potential emergency and quickly called the emergency number which saw a fast response from the Salvamento Marítimo station onshore.

Whatever was the real reason behind the fire, the response was clearly fast and efficient.