Six people survived the incident, near the South Island town of Kaikoura, on Saturday. They are in a stable condition, with five assessed at a local health center and a sixth taken to a hospital in Christchurch as a precaution, Kaikoura Police Sergeant Matt Boyce said. “Our thoughts are with everyone involved, including the victims and their families, their local communities and emergency service personnel,” he said. The city’s mayor, Craig Mackle, told reporters that the water was calm at the time and the assumption was that a whale had surfaced under the boat. Sperm whales and humpback whales frequently travel to the area, he added. He said in the past that he had considered the possibility of a collision between a boat and a whale given the number of whales that frequent the area. “You always play in your head that it could happen,” Mr. Muckle said. Police divers recovered the bodies of the dead, with three helicopters involved in rescuing survivors. Kaikoura is a popular whale-watching destination as the seabed drops off quickly from the coast, with deep water attracting whales. Many companies offer boat or helicopter trips to watch whales. Mr Muckle said the vessel appeared to be a chartered vessel full of bird watchers.
