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Boater slams into whale

A whale was struck by a small boat near Whidbey Island on Sunday, lifting the boat completely out of the water.

The boat struck a grey whale as shocked whale watchers looked on.

A cameraman on a Clipper Vacations tour boat captured images of the collision.

A woman on the tour boat told King 5 TV the group had stopped to watch a pod of whales, when a smaller boat zoomed through the area. As one of the whales surfaced, it was hit by the vessel.

Witnesses say the boat stopped briefly, then left the area.

Images of the incident were sent to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

WDFW has tracked down the boat operator, who is cooperating with an investigation, King 5 reports.

The whale has since been spotted with a basketball-sized bump on its back.

– with files from CTV Vancouver and KING5

 



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