A whale-watching trip near Vancouver, Canada, took an unexpected turn when a humpback whale suddenly surfaced in front of the vessel.
On Thursday, Oct. 23, the crew of Prince of Whales Adventures executed what the company described as a “decisive” maneuver to avoid the massive animal, according to a statement reported by CBC.
“Although the vessel was able to stop almost immediately, there was minimal contact with the whale during the maneuver,” the company said.
The abrupt halt caused several passengers to lose their balance, leading to minor injuries. The B.C. Emergency Health Services confirmed that four people were taken to a hospital on Granville Island.
Prince of Whales noted that the incident was entirely unanticipated, as the whale had not been actively tracked in the area.
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) confirmed receiving a report of the collision in Howe Sound and said the whale was observed surfacing three times afterward. Its identity remains unconfirmed, and the tour company is cooperating fully with authorities.
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This event follows another recent collision in which a high-speed passenger ferry struck a humpback calf near Vancouver’s English Bay, leaving the young whale with a deep gash near its dorsal fin.
The DFO has emphasized that humpback whales remain especially vulnerable to vessel strikes and entanglement in fishing gear. The likelihood and severity of such encounters depend on factors including whale density, vessel traffic, and the size and speed of the boats involved.
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In recent years, the southern Salish Sea has seen a steady increase in its humpback population, with an estimated 416 whales frequenting the waters between Vancouver and the western end of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
“In October, the southern Strait of Georgia off Vancouver is one of the areas of highest whale density,” the agency said. “This is also a region with multiple ferry routes and significant whale-watching activity.”
The DFO has instructed enforcement officers and the Pacific Whale Watch Association to continue monitoring the area for any potentially injured whales, especially with poor weather and high winds expected.
