Firefighters were airlifted by helicopter to a passenger ferry ablaze in the sea three miles of Falmouth last night, with 113 people on board.

Co-ordinated by Falmouth coastguards, helicopters from RNAS Culdrose carried the specialist firefighters from the Marine Incident Response Group to the burning Oscar Wilde, which had no passengers onboard but a large crew.

Once onboard the ferry, the firefighters went straight to the engine room, where the blaze had been kept contained by the ferry’s crewmembers.

Volunteer lifeboat crews from the Falmouth and Lizard lifeboat stations were also launched and they stood by alongside the coastguard tug the Anglian Princess and three harbour tugs from Falmouth until it was clear the ferry’s crew were safe and no equipment needed to be evacuated.

The crew had called for help just after 7.30pm - just hours after the ferry had left Falmouth's dry dock, where it had undergone a refit.

Once the fire was out, the fire crews were taken back to shore by helicopters again.

The ferry was brought into Falmouth this morning, so that firefighters can inspect it.

A spokesperson for A&P said: "The vessel is safely berthed on Queens Wharf. Irish Ferries and the relevant authorities are carrying out an investigation."

The Marine Accident Investigation Branch has been informed.