A New Jersey fire rescue boat sank in a startling accident involving a whale, forcing its crew into the water as they returned from Fourth of July security operations in New York Harbor.
Carteret Fire Department Marine Unit 2 had been heading back from a security detail tied to America’s 250th anniversary celebrations near the Statue of Liberty when the vessel suddenly jolted at about 4:30 p.m., according to the Carteret Fire Department.
Officials said a whale breached directly beneath the boat as it neared the mouth of Raritan Bay, between New Jersey and Staten Island, striking the stern. Carteret Mayor Dan Reiman and fire officials described the encounter as a freak collision.
Reiman said the impact from the massive marine mammal caused “catastrophic” damage to the vessel.
The rescue boat began taking on water almost immediately, giving the firefighters on board only moments to abandon ship before it went under, fire officials said.
The crew members, all of whom were wearing life jackets, were left in the water after the sudden sinking.
Help arrived quickly. A jet skier and a recreational boater pulled the firefighters onto a small boat before marine fire units from the nearby Perth Amboy Fire Department rushed in to assist the stranded crew.
The Carteret Fire Department said another recreational vessel in the area had reported seeing a pod of whales breaching both before and after the unexpected collision.
All firefighters aboard the boat returned home safely, the department added.
“While the Carteret Fire Department Marine Unit regularly trains to rescue civilians from the water and respond to marine emergencies, fires, and vehicle incidents, an event of this nature is something no one anticipates,” the department said in a Facebook post.
“Understandably, it has left those involved shaken, but we are incredibly thankful that everyone returned home safely to their families.”
It’s not clear if the whale was injured in the collision.
