In this video image, survivors cling to the overturned hull of a boat that capsized off the coast of Kaikoura, New Zealand, Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022. The boat collided with a whale and capsized. Five people in New Zealand died on Saturday after the small charter boat they were on capsized in what authorities said was a collision with a whale. Six other people on board were rescued. Police said the 8.5m boat capsized near the town of Kaik?ura on the southern island. The police announced that they are continuing to investigate the cause of the accident. “This was a tragic incident and police are providing support to those involved at this very difficult time,” Kaik?ura Police Sergeant Matt Boyce told reporters at the scene, according to news website Stuff. Kaik?ura Mayor Craig Mackle told The Associated Press that the water was dead calm at the time of the accident and the assumption was that a whale had surfaced under the boat. He said there were a few sperm whales in the area and also some traveling whales. He said local people helped with rescue efforts throughout the day, but the mood in the town was “gloomy” because the water was so cold and there were fears for the fate of anyone who fell overboard. Muckle said he had previously considered the possibility of a boat-whale collision, given the number of whales that frequent the area. “It always crosses your mind that it could happen,” he said, adding that he had not heard of any such accident before. Muckle said the boat was a chartered fishing vessel. Vanessa Chapman told Stuff that a group of friends also watched the rescue efforts unfold from Goose Bay, near Kaik?ura. He said that when he reached a lookout point, he could see a person sitting on an overturned boat waving his arms. He said two rescue helicopters and a third local helicopter circled before two divers jumped out. He told Stuff that the person on board was rescued and a second person appeared to have been pulled from the water. Kaik?ura is a popular destination for whale watching. The sea floor drops away from the shore, creating deep water near the shore. Some businesses offer boat tours or helicopter rides so tourists can see whales, dolphins and other sea creatures up close. Compliance agency Maritime New Zealand said it had sent two investigators to the scene and would conduct a thorough investigation once recovery operations were complete. Lead researcher Tracey Phillips said the agency “offers its deepest sympathies to the family and loved ones of the people who have died”.
