Five people were killed and six others rescued after a small charter boat collided with a whale.
According to police, the 8.5-meter (28-foot) boat capsized near the South Island town of Kaikoura. They stated that they were still investigating the cause of the accident. Sergeant Matt Boy of the Kaikoura Police Department described the incident as “devastating.”
“Our hearts go out to everyone involved, including the victims and their families, their communities, and emergency personnel,” Boyce said. He stated that all of the victims’ bodies had been recovered by police divers. He stated that all six survivors were found to be in stable condition at a local health center, with one being transferred as a precaution to a hospital in Christchurch.
Kaikoura Mayor Craig Macle told The Associated Press (AP) that the water was calm at the time of the accident and that the assumption was that a whale had surfaced from beneath the boat. He stated that there were sperm whales and humpback whales in the area.
He said that while locals assisted with the rescue efforts throughout the day, the mood in town was “sombre” because the water was so cold and they were concerned about the fate of anyone who had fallen overboard. Given the number of whales in the area, Mackle said he had considered the possibility of a boat colliding with one.
“It always crosses your mind that it could happen,” he said, adding that he had not heard of any previous such accidents. According to Mackle, the boat was a charter vessel that was typically used for fishing excursions. According to the news agency Stuff, the passengers were bird enthusiasts. Police said they were still notifying the relatives of those who died and could not yet publicly identify the victims.
Vanessa Chapman told Stuff that she and a group of friends were watching the rescue efforts from Goose Bay, near Kaikura. She stated that when she arrived at a lookout point, she noticed a person sitting atop an overturned boat, waving their arms.
Kaikoura is well-known for its whale-watching opportunities. The seafloor drops precipitously away from the coast, resulting in deep waters near the shore. Several companies offer boat trips or helicopter rides for tourists to get up close and personal with whales, dolphins, and other sea creatures.
