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

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

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

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.

The boat soon went to port, throwing the two fishermen, Ryland Kenney, 44, of Dover, New Hampshire and his friend Greg Paquette, 54, of Groveland, Massachusetts, into the water.

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.

Kenney, who was not wearing a life jacket, ran away from the tipping boat while Paquette, who was wearing one, was thrown into the water.

There is a pissed off whale patrolling the waters of Portsmouth NH today. Head on swivel if you’re out there pic.twitter.com/xQPIHs8ZjN

— Ryan Whitney (@ryanwhitney6) July 23, 2024

Video Credits: Ryan Whitney/X

Despite the shock, both men remained floating in the 55-degree water until the rescue arrived.

Nearby boaters, brothers Wyatt and Colin Yager, witnessed the incident and reacted promptly.

Colin, 16, captured the incident on his phone, while Wyatt, 19, directed their boat toward the fishermen, taking them to safety.

Kenney and Paquette were both unharmed, and the whale appeared uninjured.

The United States Coast Guard confirmed the incident, stating that it had been reported to the Center of Coastal Studies Marine Animal Hotline and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

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.

Paquette explained the incident, stating that everything is moving out there: you have the fish moving, the whales moving, the water moving, and the boats moving.

Kenney said he intends to stay closer to the coast, guarantees that additional boats are nearby in case of another emergency, and says he will wear his life jacket in the future.

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.

Reference: BBC, Washington Post

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