Key Takeaways:
- A 20-foot Minke whale died after colliding with a boat in the shallow waters of Barnegat Bay, New Jersey.
- Footage shows the whale nearly capsizing the boat and throwing a passenger overboard; the passenger was unharmed.
- Marine experts say the boat should not have been in such shallow water and remind boaters never to approach whales.
A 20-foot-long Minke whale died after colliding with a boat in Barnegat Bay, New Jersey, in a shocking incident caught on camera. The dramatic video shows the whale slamming into the boat, nearly flipping it and throwing one passenger into the water.
According to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, the whale was in extremely shallow water at the time of the crash. Sheila Dean, the center’s director, said she was surprised the boat was even in that area. “I don’t know how they even got where the whale was because it was so shallow,” Dean said, adding that the whale may have been injured by the boat’s propeller.
Dean also emphasized that boaters should never try to approach a whale. “If the whale approaches you, you shut your engines off and just lay de*d in the water until the whale swims away,” she explained.
The passenger who was thrown overboard is reportedly unharmed, according to local news reports.
The incident serves as a reminder of the dangers—for both humans and marine life—when boats get too close to wild animals. Boaters are urged to stay alert and follow safety guidelines when out on the water.