A bird-watching boat trip turns into a tragedy, most likely due to a whale collision: it happened in New Zealand, an 8.5-meter boat capsized in Goose Bay – near the town of Kaikoura, on the South Island – and five people were killed, police divers rescued them and rescued six others. Police said that when the boat capsized, there were 11 people on board, while Kaikoura Mayor Craig McClei told national radio station Rnz that the likely cause of the tragic sinking would be related to the collision of the small boat. whale. At the moment, the police have not confirmed this account, and are limited to talking about a collision, without providing further details about the causes. But McClell seemed confident of his account, noting that he had long feared, says the Guardian, the possibility of a similar incident, given the large number of sperm whales in the area.

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On the boat, again according to the reconstruction of the mayor of the coastal city, was a group of New Zealand women, over 50 years old, who had rented the boat from a local company. Kaikoura Police Sgt. Matt Boyce spoke of an “unprecedented event”, explaining that police rescued the people involved, the New Zealand Herald reported. The sad work of identifying the victims is underway. Witness Vanessa Chapman, who with a group of friends watched the rescue operations in Goose Bay, from a coastal observation post, told local media: “There was someone sitting on the capsized boat waving their arms for help.”

Kaikoura is a popular whale watching destination, with many companies offering boat or helicopter rides for visitors eager to see whales, dolphins, birds, and marine life up close. The national coastal and inland waterways agency, Maritime New Zealand, said it has sent investigators to the site and will conduct an in-depth investigation once recovery efforts are complete.