Police estimate that two guys were in the water for about 45 minutes when a whale breached close to their boat in Sydney’s Botany Bay this morning, flipping it over and killing one of the men.
Around 6am, a whale struck Darren Curmi, 53, and his brother-in-law Stuart Collings, 61, off Cape Banks in La Perouse. NSW Police then rescued the men from the water.
Until aid arrived, Curmi held Collings, who was unconscious, afloat for almost 45 minutes.
The 61-year-old underwent CPR by emergency personnel, but he tragically passed away aboard the rescue ship.
Although the 53-year-old was unharmed, he was sent to the hospital for observation.
Acting Superintendent Siobhan Munro said: “A witness vessel was traveling out to the headlands and observed the vessel conducting laps without anyone on board.
And it was at that point that they realized there were two people in the water and dialed 911.
Munro claimed that after hearing the initial complaints, police arrived quite quickly and bystanders attempted to help the persons in the water.
The captain “stayed as close to the deceased as he could and was doing all he could until police arrived,” according to authorities.
She said that their runabout, which measured 4.8 meters, was appropriate for the circumstances in which the ship was found.
Munro remarked, “There are many whales out there.
Whales breaching adjacent to vessels is a common occurrence that is plainly captured on camera.
So while this was a horrible accident, I don’t think it was surprising.
It serves as a sobering reminder that even on the nicest day spent on the water, things can rapidly turn bad if skippers aren’t ready or if tragic events like this take place.
A 100-meter buffer zone must be maintained between boats and whales.
According to early reports, the whale was underwater when it struck the boat.
Following the “terribly tragic” occurrence, NSW Police Minister Yasmin Catley expressed the government’s sincere condolences to the family.
It serves as a sharp reminder of just how perilous the water can be, according to Catley.
Since we can remember, recreational fishers and other marine animals have coexisted. I’m confident that will continue.
This marks the start of what volunteer lifesavers anticipate to be a very busy summer.
Since the bulk of the people they rescue are not wearing life jackets, they are pushing everyone who is on boats to do so.
As police look into the incident, the Foreshore Road Boat Ramp in Botany is temporarily locked down.
