Geraldton Volunteer Marine Rescue received a mayday call from the vessel on Sunday afternoon.
Camera IconGeraldton Volunteer Marine Rescue received a mayday call from the vessel on Sunday afternoon. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Mayday after boat hits whale off WA

AAPJoondalup Times

A GROUP of fisherman feared their boat would sink after they hit a whale off the West Australian coast, leaving one of the men with cuts to his face.

Geraldton Volunteer Marine Rescue received a mayday call from the vessel on Sunday afternoon, with the men reporting they had struck the animal at speed, were taking on water and in danger of sinking.

A rescue vessel was already in the water on its way to help another vessel with engine problems and was on the scene within 20 minutes.

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The rescue crew escorted the damaged boat back to Batavia Marina about two hours after the impact.

Three fisherman feared their boat would sink after they hit a whale in waters off Western Australia’s Mid West coast. File image
Camera IconThree fisherman feared their boat would sink after they hit a whale in waters off Western Australia’s Mid West coast. File image Credit: Supplied/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Skipper Ryan Sattery said it was “like hitting a brick wall” and hurled the men from their chairs.

“Me mate goes, ‘oh look there’s a whale,’ and it just popped right up in front of us and we smashed straight into it,” he told the ABC.

Geraldton VMR said the condition of the whale was unknown.