Fisherman knocked out after being slapped across face by whip of whale's tail – Daily Star
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A fisherman was hit so hard across the face by the whip of a whale’s tail that he was knocked unconscious.
The 40-year-old man suffered serious injuries after the whale appeared in front of him off Queensland’s Gold Coast. The whale collided with his boat not far off the border from New South Wales.
The whack left the man unconscious and his friend, who was on board at the time, alongside jetski riders called the emergency services, as reported by the Independent.
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Rescue teams were able to bring the men back to shore before taking the injured fisherman to the Gold Coast University Hospital. Here, he received treatment for his face and spine.
Queensland Emergency Services has since said the man is in stable condition but his memory remains vague. The service’s first responder Scott Brown told ABC News: “We’ve had boats come in contact with whales before, but not actually a person sitting in a boat,
“You have a little bit of disbelief that it happened at first, but respond nonetheless, and when we got there, that’s what we found had happened.”
John Murray, of New South Wales Marine Rescue, said: "It’s extraordinary.
"I have been doing this for 22 years and I have never heard of a whale actually hitting someone in a stationary boat.’’
A Queensland Police spokesman said: "We urge all boaties to always wear life jackets. Fortunately this man remained in his boat.’’
Officers have urged people to remain alert since the incident especially those going fishing or boating during whale season.
The season sees Humpback and Southern right whales pass via Sydney as they migrate along Australia’s East Coast, heading north for the colder months of June and July. They return south between September and November.
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