ST..JOHNS (CBC) - Five crab fishermen were safe Thursday morning after being rescued from a vessel that caught fire off Newfoundland's northeast coast.

The Northern Provider was about 20 nautical miles, or 36 kilometres, east of the Grey Islands when a fire was reported at about 9 p.m.

Search and rescue officials were planning to assign a Cormorant helicopter to rescue the crew, but a nearby vessel, the Bonnie Lee Ann, was near the burning longliner.

That vessel arrived within minutes and took the five crew members of the Northern Provider on board.

The Northern Provider was still burning when they left the scene.

The Bonnie Lee Ann headed for port in Englee.

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