1 week ago
Four Sailors Rescued After Sperm Whale Sinks Pacific Yacht
A large sperm whale hit a yacht in the South Pacific.
The yacht began filling with water and sank.
Four sailors quickly called for help and activated emergency beacons.
They moved into an inflatable life raft.
They waited there for almost 17 hours.
A New Zealand aircraft found the raft.
A cargo ship then picked up all four people.
Nobody was reported injured.
A sperm whale struck the 52-foot yacht Tai Tam in the South Pacific.
The four-person crew spent nearly 17 hours in an inflatable life raft.
The collision occurred about 250 nautical miles north of Norfolk Island.
The crew activated emergency beacons and sent a Mayday call after the yacht began sinking.
A cargo ship rescued all four sailors, who were reportedly uninjured.
- Who
- Four sailors—two Australian nationals, one New Zealander and one French national—were rescued.
- What
- A sperm whale collided with and sank the 52-foot yacht Tai Tam, leaving the crew in a life raft.
- Where
- About 250 nautical miles north of Norfolk Island in the South Pacific.
- When
- The crew spent nearly 17 hours in the life raft before being rescued.
- Why
- The yacht sank after seawater rushed in through damage caused by the whale collision.
Key facts
- Vessel
- Tai Tam, a 52-foot Australian yacht
- Incident location
- Approximately 250 nautical miles north of Norfolk Island
- Animal involved
- A sperm whale from a nearby pod
- Time stranded
- Nearly 17 hours
- Rescue aircraft
- Royal New Zealand Air Force P-8A Poseidon
- Rescue vessel
- MV SOFRANA SURVILLE
- Outcome
- All four sailors were rescued and reportedly suffered no injuries
Quotes
Jemma Cooper
Australian sailor who was at the yacht’s helm during the collision
“The crew of the yacht did all the right things, and it was unfortunate to have struck a whale in open water. They were well prepared and the early activation of their EPIRB was key to helping get them to safety.”
NDTV
“There was a thud. We knew we'd been hit by something.”
NDTV
Sources
Related news
Rescuers Guide 25 Pilot Whales From River Thames to Sea
Nine Fishermen Rescued After Boat Sinks Near Bhairavapalem
One Dead, Dozens Missing After Ferry Sinks Near Vanuatu
Coast Guard Rescues 23 Crew From Listing Tanker Off Odisha
Cargo Ship Collides With Chinese Fishing Boat in Singapore Strait
21 Rescued After Merchant Ships Collide Off Gujarat Coast
