The U.S. Coast Guard has rescued 21 people from a burning boat in the South Pacific Ocean.

The boaters were being brought to safety Saturday. They were 230 miles south of Jarvis Island when rescuers at got a distress signal around 2 a.m.

The Joint Rescue Coordination Center determined that the signal came from a 140-foot fishing vessel. They issued a broadcast and another U.S.-flagged fishing vessel responded.

When the second fishing boat arrived at 9:30 a.m. they found 21 passengers adrift in a small skiff after abandoning ship.

Rescuers planned to take all of the passengers to American Samoa. No injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is unknown.