Whale Sinks Rescue Boat in Terrifying Accident

A New Jersey fire rescue crew found itself in need of rescuing after a whale reportedly breached beneath its boat and caused the vessel to sink in a terrifying Fourth of July accident.

Carteret Fire Department Marine Unit 2 was returning from a security detail near the Statue of Liberty during celebrations marking America’s 250th anniversary when the boat suddenly shook at around 4:30 p.m., according to the department.

Officials said a whale breached directly underneath the vessel as it approached the mouth of Raritan Bay between New Jersey and Staten Island, striking the stern and causing what Carteret Mayor Dan Reiman described as “catastrophic” damage.

The boat began taking on water almost immediately, giving the firefighters aboard only seconds to abandon ship before it sank.

All crew members were wearing life jackets, but they were left floating in the water until help arrived.

A jet skier and a recreational boater quickly rushed to the scene and pulled the firefighters from the water. Marine units from the nearby Perth Amboy Fire Department then arrived to assist the stranded crew.

Another recreational vessel in the area reported seeing a pod of whales breaching before and after the collision, according to the Carteret Fire Department.

Despite the frightening ordeal, every firefighter aboard the rescue boat made it home safely.

“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 wrote in a Facebook post.

Officials said the crew members were understandably shaken but grateful that no lives were lost.

“We are incredibly thankful that everyone returned home safely to their families,” the department added.

It remains unclear whether the whale was injured in the collision.