A massive humpback whale leaped out of the water and landed on a 5.8-meter motorboat at Plymouth Harbor, Massachusetts, shattering the boat’s bow windows.
The incident caused minor damage to the boat. (Video: AP)
The whale involved in the incident on July 24 was one of three humpback whales hunting pogie fish in the waters near White Horse Beach in Plymouth, attracting dozens of boats filled with tourists eager to observe them. The whales were hunting using a technique known as “surge feeding,” swimming beneath the schools of fish and opening their massive jaws to scoop up as many fish as possible while surfacing.
According to Justin Enggasser, who witnessed the event from about 30 meters away, the bow of the boat submerged due to the whale’s weight. However, the boat was safely towed back to the dock with only minor damage. Despite the shock, no passengers on board were injured. “If someone had been sitting at the front of the boat, this could have been a tragedy,” said Chad Hunter, the director of Plymouth Harbor.
The bow of the boat submerged under the weight of the whale.
Chasing or disturbing whales is illegal under the Marine Mammal Protection Act in the United States. Hunter has reported all information from the scene to the Massachusetts Environmental Police for investigation. He also cautioned that such interactions could be dangerous for both the people on the boat and the whales.
“Whales feeding can often be distracted, so boaters need to be careful because the whales are focused on catching fish rather than noticing nearby boats,” said Regina Asmutis-Silva, director of the Whale and Dolphin Conservation organization.
Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) are a large species of baleen whale. Their body length ranges from 12 to 16 meters, and they can weigh up to about 36 tons. Humpback whales have a distinctive body shape, with unusually long pectoral fins and a knobby head. Their diet consists of mollusks and fish.
