Two boaters are lucky to be alive after their craft burst into flames in the waters off Wreck Beach Wednesday.

The pair was rescued by a passing boat when fire broke out on the vessel around 5 p.m.

The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre said a passing vessel picked up the duo, but it’s not clear if they were in the water or on the burning boat when they were saved. They are uninjured, a JRCC spokesperson told CTV Vancouver.

It took fire crews up to 20 minutes to get the flames under control. Flames continued to burn on the surface of the water for a few minutes even as the boat sank.

A giant plume of smoke from the blaze clouded a large area over Wreck Beach and the University of British Columbia.