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