The incident occurred on Saturday, August 2, off Barnegat Bay in New Jersey, when a small steam boat approached a minke whale seen floundering in shallow waters. A widely circulated video on social media showed a 20-foot minke whale colliding with a steam boat, causing a woman to be thrown into the sea. She was quickly pulled to safety and was unharmed. The whale’s fin and back were visible under the water, a clear sign of its distress.
The incident was documented on camera by Kim Mancini, who said the whale appeared to be in trouble before the boat arrived. Mancini noted that the whale seemed to be struggling to reach shallower waters.
The Marine Mammal Rescue Center, a nonprofit rescue and release organization, reported that the whale was found dead. The organization stated in a release that its officials could not get within 30 yards of the whale due to tidal conditions, and therefore could not conduct a more thorough examination of the animal.
