Giant Whale Nearly Killed 4 Boat Passengers After Breaching; Tourists May Have Provoked the Incident, Made the Mammal Felt Harassed

A tense moment was caught in a video when a whale nearly killed four passengers when it leaped out of the water and landed on their yacht. The giant whale almost destroyed the boat in the Gulf of California and left the passengers injured with rib and leg fractures, MailOnline reported.

The giant mammal, which authorities named Pechocho, came splashing down on Saturday, May 14, off the coast of the Sinaloa municipality off Topolobampo in Mexico.

What Really Happened

Two men and two women were aboard the boat when the breaching happened, Mexico News Daily reported. One of them was former Ahome councilman Jesús Valdez, who suffered rib fractures and minor injury, while the young woman had a broken leg.

Based on the video, the viewers from afar saw when the whale leaped before landing on the back of the yacht and collapsing on its roof and railings. The incident came weeks after a Pacific whale pummeled a tour boat in the Baja California peninsula on April 25.

Omar Mendoza, the coordinator of Ahome Civil Protection, explained that the presence of the yacht near the heavily populated whale area at this time of the year must have provoked the incident. He added that the whale might have felt harassed by the boaters, which led to the unfortunate event.

Due to this, Ahome mayor Gerardo Vargas cautioned the public not to get too close to the whales and enjoy their beauty at a distance instead. He also confirmed that Pechocho was injured from the same encounter.

Why Whales Breach and Leap Out of Water?

Humpback whales can weigh up to 50 tons and are known for their breaching behavior. Whale watchers commonly ask during tours why these large mammals leap out of water.

The technical term for whales leaping out of the water is breaching. Although this may look amazing, it is not as common as aquarium shows and wildlife documentaries make out.

According to an article on the website of Springtide Whale Watching and Eco Tours, more than 40% of the whale's body makes it above the water surface. But this is unusual because it needs high energy to breach and break through the water's surface at a top speed of 28km/h.

Breaching happens due to various reasons. For example, highly sociable killer whales breach to alert their members when they meet up or hunt. Meanwhile, humpback whales breach to encourage their neighbors during mating season.

In general, the breaching behavior of whales is linked to communication with social groups. Experts suggest that this might be a show of aggression, annoyance, the vigor of males, or courtship behavior. Also, it could add to a signal already made, like vocal or visual, that indicates a desire or need.

Check out more news and information on Whales in Science Times.