‘That's horrible': Speedboat runs over endangered whale calf, chilling drone footage emerges
The now-viral video shows the speedboat running over the animal, and the occupants of the boat being thrown forward.
Speaking to Yahoo News, Hatte shared details about his gut-wrenching experience, calling it a 'recipe for disaster.' 'It was absolutely horrific. I'm not an emotional guy, but I was absolutely gutted after the incident'.
He also described the accident as a 'recipe for disaster'. 'It could've been absolutely disastrous for the trio involved. They are extremely lucky guys,' Hatte said.
Hatte, who continued to monitor the situation via drone, said he noticed the boat slowing down afterwards, although it was unclear if this was due to shock or possible damage to the vessel.
Watch the video here:
A post shared by Brut (@brutamerica)
Yahoo News reported that the three men on board the speedboat were not wearing lifejackets. Upon impact with the calf, they were thrown forward, piling on top of each other.
The mother of the calf involved in the latest accident was also struck by a boat just weeks earlier. Despite both collisions, researchers say the whales appear to be recovering well in the days since the latest accident, according to the Yahoo News report.
The video quickly gained traction, prompting a wave of reactions.
'Humans. How about banning non essential boats and issuing serious fines and suspension of licence if ignored. No boats on the water equals safe passage for whales. It's Not hard,' a user wrote.
'Thats horrible. Hope the calf and mom are perfectly healthy,' another user commented.
'My heart hurts when I watch the boat and baby hit. So sad to see but glad the calf is safe and so is mum,' a third user reacted.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
Whale calf hit by speedboat: Drone captures viral moment
Screengrab from the viral video posted on Insta A young whale off the southern coast of New South Wales was recently involved in a boat strike, occurring just weeks after its mother was similarly injured by another vessel. Footage capturing the event reveals a small craft colliding with a southern right whale calf swimming close to its mother near Stanwell Park. The force of the impact caused the three people on board the boat to lose their balance and fall. Immediately after the incident, the calf was seen descending deeper into the ocean, seeking refuge beside its mother, as reported by . Michael Hatte, who recorded the encounter, mentioned that he and his wife were watching the whales via drone, maintaining the mandated 100-meter distance. "I was absolutely shocked, I froze," he said. The Organisation for the Rescue and Research of Cetaceans (ORRCA), NSW Parks and Wildlife Service, and the Right Whale Identification program have been monitoring the mother and calf as they travel northward. Mr Hatte continued to observe the calf for approximately five minutes after the event and reported that it seemed unharmed. "The calf seemed fine. It didn't show signs of stress," he said. "It went back beneath mum and was playing with seaweed again on the surface, so it looked totally unscathed." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo A spokesperson from NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service described the video as "alarming," highlighting that only a few calves are born annually in NSW waters. "This is the only mother and calf pair known in NSW waters so far this season," they stated. 'Boaties must keep an active look out to avoid this happening again during the whale season'. The agency said it was coordinating with ORRCA to closely monitor the pair. "Mum appears to have a previous injury to her flank and we are unsure of the impact of the recent collision," the spokesperson added. "We are asking all Sydneysiders to please take care on the water and give this precious pair space." The ABC has reached out to NSW Maritime for a response. ORRCA representative Pip Jacobs reported the whales were observed breaching just south of Sydney Harbour yesterday. "Vessel strikes can be fatal … but we're pleased to confirm that mum and baby seem to be doing well," she said. Southern right whales are listed as endangered. Between 250 and 300 individuals have been recorded along the east coast, with larger groups found on the west coast. The calf's mother suffered injuries from a boat strike near Merimbula in July. Earlier this year, a humpback whale calf is believed to have died following a vessel collision near Coffs Harbour. Ms Jacobs explained that these whales are vulnerable to boat strikes because they frequent shallow waters and lack dorsal fins. "These whales are particularly difficult to spot from the water, so they're often in the way of boats who don't know they're there," she said. "We know no-one wants to hit a whale." Ms Jacobs advised boat operators that southern right whales are commonly seen off the coast until the end of August, with humpback migrations continuing through November. Vessels must keep a distance of 100 meters from adults and 300 meters from calves. Drones are required to maintain a minimum altitude of 100 meters. Ms Jacobs said the pair appeared to have recovered from their difficulties. "This pair has faced extraordinary challenges on their journey so far, but they appear to be doing well, which is not only great news for them but their species as well," she said.
Indian Express
28-07-2025
- Indian Express
Couple narrowly escapes as leopard lunges at motorcycle in Andhra Pradesh, chilling footage goes viral
A close encounter between a leopard and a couple on a motorcycle near Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh has caught the Internet's attention. The dashcam video, recorded late at night on a road, shows the leopard suddenly leaping from the roadside bushes toward the moving motorcycle. The now-viral video, posted on X last Saturday, shows the big cat emerging from the woods in mere seconds, and making a leap. The animal comes within inches of making contact with the bike before rushing back into the dark bushes. The incident was recorded by the dashcam of a car following closely behind the two-wheeler. The bikers, completely unaware of the leopard until the final moment, speed up and escape the attack without injury. Watch the viral video here: Leopard scare in Tirupati A #biker had a narrow escape from a #leopard attack near #Zoo Park Road. The big cat was later spotted near #Aravind Eye Hospital at midnight too.#Tirupati #Cheetah #leopard #zooparkroad #tirupatizooparkroad #LeopardAttack #leopard — F Faheed (@FaheedU31135) July 26, 2025 In a similar incident in Ratnagiri district in Maharashtra, a CCTV camera recorded a black panther attacking a dog outside a home. The big cat was seen creeping near the tree line before ambushing the pet dog, and vanishing into the forest. In a similar incident, a video of a leopard attacking a stray dog in Uttarakhand's Haridwar emerged on social media. However, a pack of dogs jumps in to save the stray, fight the big cat, and scare it away. In March, a leopard attacked three tribal villagers and two forest officials in Umarpada taluka of Surat district. The officials were part of a rescue team responding to the incident. All five injured individuals were taken to the hospital and discharged after receiving primary treatment. In 2024, a leopard attacked a group of picnickers in the South Forest Division Range of Shahdol in Madhya Pradesh. According to reports, three people were injured after the animal mauled them after they instigated it.
NDTV
28-07-2025
- NDTV
Drone Footage Shows Endangered Whale Calf Being Hit By Speedboat: "Absolutely Horrific"
A harrowing drone video has captured the moment a speedboat collided with an endangered whale calf off the coast of New South Wales. The impact clipped the calf's back and sent the boat's occupants tumbling. The collision was captured on a drone by photographer Michael Hatte, who was filming the whale mother and calf near Stanwell Park. He expressed his helplessness in preventing the accident as the boat drew closer to the whales. The video shows a small speedboat running over the whale calf, sending the three occupants tumbling. After the impact, the calf dove deeper into the water to rest beside its mother. Fortunately, both the whale and calf escaped without major injuries. "I had already stopped filming, but could see the boat heading straight for the pair that were just below the surface. I pressed record and captured the whole event, which is 3 seconds long. Bub moving it's head just at the right time, impact could have been devastating," Mr Hatte wrote while sharing the video on his Instagram page. Watch the video here: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Michael Hatte (@michaelhatte) "It was absolutely horrific," Michael Hatte later told Yahoo News, describing the moment. "I'm not an emotional guy, but I was absolutely gutted after the incident," he said. The footage has gone viral, sparking widespread concern and outrage over the incident. A NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service spokesperson said the footage was "alarming", considering only a handful of calves are born each year in NSW. "This is the only mother and calf pair known in NSW waters so far this season. Boaties must keep an active lookout to avoid this happening again during the whale season," they said in a statement. Southern right whales, an endangered species, are slowly recovering from decades of commercial whaling, but still face significant challenges. Whale scientist Dr. Vanessa Pirotta described the recent incident as "tragic", emphasising the need for boaters to be vigilant, especially during the May to November migration period when these whales are most active. Whale expert Dr. Barry McGovern of the Pacific Whales Foundation noted that southern right whales tend to swim just below the surface, making them difficult to spot, which can increase the risk of collisions with boats. "They also don't have dorsal fins like your humpback whales so they can be really difficult to see and if you're travelling at speed it can be very easy to miss them, to not see them. The larger boats can really impact them," he said.
