Boat owner speaks of 'precious family boat' and how it wound up on fire in Auckland's Hillsborough Cemetery

The owner said it was a "precious family boat". Photo / Supplied

The mystery of a flaming boat in the middle on an Auckland cemetery has deepened after its owner revealed it had been stolen two weeks prior.

Emergency services were called to Hillsborough Cemetery in Auckland on Tuesday morning after plumes of black smoke could be seen pouring into the sky.

The source of the smoke was a small fibreglass boat on a trailer engulfed in flames.

The boat's owner told the Herald the "precious family boat" had been stolen from his Westmere home on Tuesday, May 28.

"We are very upset and sad that someone could do such a thing. All those happy memories heartlessly stolen and destroyed."

The burnt-out wreck of the boat at Hillsborough Cemetery. Photo / Supplied

Fire and Emergency New Zealand were quickly on the scene and extinguished the burning wreck but much of the boat's structure had melted away.

They left the investigation in the hands of the police.

Debris was splattered around the wreck which had been blocked off by yellow caution tape to prevent people from approaching.

The owner said weirdly enough the only part left was the registration, through which he was contacted.

"They wanted the motor - a 90 horsepower, four stroke Suzuki only a few years old - and possibly the electronics, the amoral bastards, and destroyed the rest.

"Am so upset. So many memories and so well looked after."