Breaching Whale Hits Fishing Boat & Flips It Over Off The Portsmouth Coast

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A breaching whale capsized a fishing boat off the coast of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on July 23, 2024, reports marine Insight.

The frightening occurrence captured on a camera reflects the sudden marine wildlife encounters by people.

23-foot boat 

Watch:-

The 23-foot boat was flipped upside down when a humpback whale breached the surface, landing on the boat’s stern and port-side overboard engine.

Kenney, a fisherman, had informed his mother the night before that close encounters with whales were as rare as being hit by lightning.

However, his confidence was shaken when the whale emerged from the water, apparently searching for prey.

The whale’s mouth was wide open, and as it came down, it closed around the boat’s engine, causing a loud crunch and flooding the vessel’s stern with seawater.

Sara Morris, director of the Shoals Marine Laboratory, stated that the whale’s activity was most likely caused by lunge feeding, a hunting method used to chase bait fish. The footage captured little silver fish escaping from its jaws as the whale breached.

Kenney and Paquette expressed their desire to continue fishing while emphasizing the importance of increased caution.

Sharp reminder

The incident is a sharp reminder to sailors to keep a safe distance from whales and other marine creatures.

The NOAA continues promoting appropriate boating practices that protect marine creatures and humans.

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Source: Marine Insight