A 61-year-old Australian fisherman who took advantage of the calm morning with a friend to try to bait fish on Saturday is believed to have lost his life after being thrown from the boat by a whale.
“[Le bateau] would have been hit or struck by a whale [se propulsant hors de l’eau]“This caused it to tip over and the two men were ejected,” New South Wales (NSW) Police said in a statement reported by The Independent on Sunday.
Two men, aged 61 and 53, were reportedly recovered unconscious in Botany Bay, off the coast of Sydney, around 6am on Saturday after encountering a whale that reportedly overturned their fishing boat in an “accident”. “Absolutely unusual,” said New South Wales Emergency Services Minister Jihad Dib.
“Attempts to resuscitate the 61-year-old man failed and he was pronounced dead,” police continued in a statement, according to British media.
The 53-year-old, for his part, was transported to a hospital, where his condition remained stable.
While an “incredible” number of whales are believed to have migrated over Sydney this year, Australian authorities have reminded those with sea legs to keep their distance.
“When in the water you must be at least 100 meters away from an adult whale, and 300 meters if that whale has a calf. “The whales are not there to harm anyone, but these interactions can happen,” NSW Maritime chief executive Mark Hutchings said, according to The Sydney Morning Herald.
RT(YA)265