Early reports suggest two men were flung into the water after a whale breached close to the vessel, police say.
A 61-year-old man is dead and another has been taken to hospital after a whale reportedly struck their boat, flinging the pair into Botany Bay in Sydney’s east on Saturday morning.
Emergency services responded to reports two people were in the water after passengers in a nearby vessel noticed an empty boat circling the bay near Cape Banks at La Perouse about 6am. “Early reports are that a whale may have breached near the boat, or onto the boat,” NSW Police acting Superintendent Siobhan Munro said on Saturday.The 61-year-old man was pulled from the water unconscious and could not be revived.Police and paramedics responded to reports two people were in the water off La Perouse.Munro said passengers on board a passing boat noticed the pair’s 4.8-metre motorboat circling in the water without anyone on board.
She said the man who survived the incident was in shock when police arrived to pluck the men from the water. They had likely been in the water for up to 45 minutes before they were rescued.“I believe the skipper stayed as close as he could to the deceased and was doing all he could to keep him afloat until police arrived.”“This is a tragic accident.
“If you are on the water you need to be 100 metres away from an adult whale, and 300 [metres] if that whale has a calf.Police seized the pair’s motorboat for forensic tests.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Man dies after possible whale collision capsizes boat in Botany BayThe man was pulled from the water unconscious and was unable to be revived, police said.
Read more »
Man dies after possible whale collision capsizes boat in Botany BayEarly reports suggest two men were flung into the water after a whale breached close to the vessel, police say.
Read more »
Man dies after boat hits whale off NSW coastA man has died and another has been taken to hospital after an early morning fatal collision with a whale at Sydney's Botany Bay.
Read more »
Man dies after whale flips boat in SydneyA man has died and another is in a stable condition after their boat was reportedly struck by a whale and flipped in Sydney's Botany Bay on Saturday morning.
Read more »