Sharjah: At least eight people trapped on a burning cargo vessel off the coast of Sharjah were rescued on Friday by coastguard and civil defence teams.

Police said that some of the rescued crew members sustained second-degree burns and were being treated at a hospital in Sharjah. The vessel’s crew comprised mostly Indians.

The blaze on the vessel lasted for nearly 24 hours and the gutted craft went down on Saturday evening, police said.