Whale Breaches Boat Off New Hampshire Coast

A breaching whale capsized a fishing boat off the coast of New Hampshire, sending two men overboard into the Atlantic Ocean.

Why it matters: The dramatic incident highlights the unpredictable nature of marine life encounters and the importance of quick thinking and bravery in rescue situations.

The details:

• The incident occurred about half a mile off the coast of Rye, New Hampshire, just east of Odiorne Point State Park.
• Two fishermen, Greg Paquette and Ryland Kenney, were thrown into the water when a humpback whale collided with their 23-foot center console boat mid-breach.
• Two teenage brothers from Maine, Colin Yager, 16, and Wyatt Yager, 19, witnessed the event and quickly came to the rescue.
• The men were in the water for less than two minutes before being pulled to safety by the Yager brothers.

The U.S. Coast Guard received a mayday call following the incident and confirmed that neither the men nor the whale suffered any injuries from the encounter.

What they’re saying:

• “I heard a big crackle,” said Ryland Kenney. “When that happened…the bow tipped up and I went to the left. As [the boat] was rolling over, I kind of jumped off horizontally to avoid the whale and the boat.”
• “We’re glad they took such quick action,” Greg Paquette said of the Yager brothers. “They didn’t even think about it. We’re really grateful to both of them.”
• “I was just in shock,” Wyatt Yager said. “Everyone else had the same reaction and tried to get over to those people. It was like, ‘Oh shoot,’ and then, ‘We’ve got to go help these people.’ All the boats dropped what they were doing to go over to help them.”

What’s next: The Center of Coastal Studies Marine Animal Hotline and NOAA have been contacted regarding the incident, as per standard procedures. The capsized vessel has been salvaged.

Full story

Colin and Wyatt Yager, two teenage brothers from Eliot, Maine, were out on their first fishing trip off the New Hampshire coast when they witnessed an incredible sight. A whale breached and landed on a nearby boat, capsizing it and throwing the two men on board into the water. The brothers quickly sprang into action, racing over to help the men out of the water.

“I was just in shock,” Wyatt, 19, said. “Everyone else had the same reaction and tried to get over to those people. It was like, ‘Oh shoot,’ and then, ‘We’ve got to go help these people.’ All the boats dropped what they were doing to go over to help them.”

The men on the boat, Greg Paquette and Ryland Kenney, were thrown into the Atlantic Ocean when the whale collided with their 23-foot center console boat near Odiorne Point State Park.

“I heard a big crackle,” Kenney recalled. “When that happened … the bow tipped up, and I went to the left. As [the boat] was rolling over, I kind of jumped off horizontally to avoid the whale and the boat.”

Paquette described seeing the whale’s head crashing down on the boat’s engine before being thrown into the water.

“Then I saw the whole stern become inundated with water and thought, ‘Oh no. We’re going down.

Whale capsizes boat near New Hampshire

We’re going to sink now.'”

Fortunately, the Yager brothers were nearby and quickly came to their rescue. The men were in the water for less than two minutes before being pulled to safety. “We’re glad they took such quick action,” Paquette said.

“They didn’t even think about it. We’re really grateful to both of them.”

The U.S. Coast Guard received a mayday call following the incident and confirmed that no injuries were reported. The whale also appeared to be unharmed.

The Coast Guard contacted the Center of Coastal Studies Marine Animal Hotline and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to report the incident, and the vessel was salvaged. The Yager brothers captured the entire incident on video, which quickly went viral on social media. Many people praised Colin’s swift reaction during the emergency, with one user commenting, “Kid’s like ‘I want to go home now’.” Another noted the “incredible scene” was the result of “unfortunate timing,” as the whale was breaching under a school of baitfish near the boat.

This dramatic event highlights the unpredictable nature of marine life encounters and the importance of quick thinking and bravery in rescue situations. It also underscores the extraordinary and sometimes dangerous interaction between marine life and human activities off the coast.