Video: Incredible Moment Humpback Whale Collides with Fishing Boat
A stunning video has captured the moment a massive humpback whale soared out of the water and crashed onto a fishing boat off the coast of Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Justin Enggasser, 46, and his 15-year-old son Leo were eyewitnesses to the spectacle from a distance of about 30 meters. According to Justin, the front portion of the boat submerged under the water due to the weight of the whale. However, it was pulled safely to shore and only sustained minor damage.
The whale then slid off the boat and returned to the ocean unharmed, according to a statement from the port of Plymouth. Although no injuries to humans or the whale were reported, visible damage to the boat’s bow could be seen.
The Massachusetts Environmental Police and several marine organizations have cautioned boaters to “exercise extreme caution when near the port of Plymouth, where a group of three juvenile humpback whales have been feeding in the area for at least a week.”
“The offending animal is part of a group of three humpback whales that were hunting for pogies near White Horse Beach in Plymouth. They engage in surge feeding, swimming beneath the school of fish and opening their jaws wide to engulf as many fish as possible when breaching the water’s surface,” the agency stated.
In a Facebook post, the Coastal Research Center advised boaters to “maintain a distance of over 30 meters to ensure the safety of both the whale and humans.” They announced that they would be working with the Plymouth Whale and Dolphin Conservation Organization to identify the individual whale involved in the collision in order to “monitor any potential impacts.”
Chasing or harassing whales is illegal under the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act. Chad Hunter, the director of the port of Plymouth, has handed over all information at the scene to the Massachusetts Environmental Police for investigation. He also warned that such interactions could be dangerous for both the people on the boat and the whales.
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