Anglers Off New Hampshire Dunked by Breaching Humpback Whale

A group of anglers off the coast of New Hampshire experienced a dramatic encounter when a humpback whale breached and landed on their boat, causing it to capsize. 

Captured on video, several fishing boats are seen floating on the surface when suddenly, a whale launches from the depths, soaring through the air before crashing down on the back of one of the boats. The impact causes the vessel to tip over, sending its two occupants plunging into the water as the whale dives back down.

Two people were thrown into the ocean after a whale landed on their fishing boat off the New Hampshire coast on Tuesday morning, and the entire incident was caught on video by two brothers on a nearby boat https://t.co/tZ4tildSTx pic.twitter.com/WzPemowDTZ

— WCVB-TV Boston (@WCVB) July 23, 2024

According to the U.S. Coast Guard Station, the incident occurred on Tuesday morning. Thankfully, there were no injuries reported for either the people on the boat or the whale. The Coast Guard issued an alert to mariners in the area, prompting a good Samaritan to respond and rescue the two individuals from the water. The boat itself was salvaged from sinking; video footage shows it being righted and towed by another vessel.

It appears the whale was feeding at the time, as its mouth was wide open during the breach, and the presence of numerous fishing boats suggests a high concentration of bait in the area.