Sperm whales sink yacht, four survive
Four sailors survived after their yacht was damaged by a collision with a group of sperm whales in the South Pacific Ocean, eventually being rescued by a container ship after spending 17 to 18 hours on a life raft.
Consensus
- Four people were on board the yacht during the incident.
- The yacht was damaged in a collision with sperm whales in the South Pacific Ocean.
- The crew abandoned the yacht and survived on a life raft.
- The crew was rescued by a container ship approximately 17 to 18 hours after the incident.
- No one on board the yacht was injured.
- The collision occurred in the southern part of the Pacific Ocean, near Norfolk Island.
- The crew activated an emergency beacon (EPIRB) which played a key role in their rescue.
Points of divergence
- The collision happened at night, and the crew observed six to eight whales pursuing the yacht. — vm
- The crew saw six to eight sperm whales after the collision. — vesti
- The rudder mechanism was damaged and the hull had several holes and cracks. — vm
- The French crew member, Martin Joffre, inspected the damage underwater and helped patch the holes with makeshift materials. — vm
- The crew cut the rope connecting the raft to the yacht to prevent it from being dragged underwater. — vm
- The crew heard a loud sound and saw four to five sperm whales near the yacht. — riamo
- The calm ocean contributed to their survival. — riamo
- Scientists explained that orcas, not sperm whales, use ramming to train young and practice coordination. — vm
Coverage (4 sources)
- Four people survived after yacht collision with a sperm whale in the Pacific Ocean — РИАМО
- Whales sank yacht with four people on board in the Pacific Ocean — Вечерняя Москва
- Whale sank yacht in Pacific Ocean, crew survived — Вести
- Whales sank yacht with four people on board in the Pacific Ocean. No one from the crew was injured. — ТАСС (Telegram)