Man experiences unexpected knockout from whale's tail fin in boat incident.
Off the coast of Australia, a man faces an unexpected ordeal. Sailing in his vessel, he gets into a startling encounter with a whale. Thanks to some good fortune, the 40-year-old survivor manages to avoid a more serious predicament.
As reported by Queensland Police, the incident transpired during early morning hours in the shared waters of Queensland and New South Wales. In the presence of jet ski riders, the man's boat was allegedly "charged" by a whale, leading to a collision with its tail fin. Witnesses, namely jet ski riders, alerted emergency services at 8:43 am near the coastal town of Coolangatta. The man was initially unaware of the impending danger until the whale suddenly surfaced before him.
Luckily, the man momentarily lost consciousness due to the impact but remained within his boat. Queensland Police urged all boat operators to always wear life jackets, emphasizing the importance of safety measures in Australian media.
The man was rescued and brought ashore by the Water Police and Volunteer Marine Rescue, then admitted to the Gold Coast University Hospital. He suffered severe facial and spinal injuries, yet his health has been reported as stable.
Repeat of recent incidents
As per Australian TV station Sky News Australia, this is the second accident of its kind in a month. In July, two other men in the waters off west Australia encountered a whale, leading to serious injuries. A more tragic event occurred in Sydney's Botany Bay last year, where a 4.8-meter boat capsized upon colliding with a whale. Two individuals were ejected from the boat, and one unfortunately passed away. Attacks by orcas on sailing yachts have also been reported, particularly in European waters.
The European Union expressed concern over the increasing number of whale-related accidents in Australian waters, calling for stricter safety measures for boat operators. The European Union also suggested international collaboration to study the behavior of whales in densely populated marine areas.
