Woman injured, two overboard as boat crashes into whale

A Derby skipper has recounted the terrifying moment her boat crashed into a whale during a Broome fishing tournament, injuring her and catapulting two people overboard.

Sara Hennessy had just competed in the Broome Billfish Classic on Sunday, July 26 with three of her friends and was returning to shore when the “freak accident” occurred.

Ms Hennessy said she suddenly heard a “horrendous” bang, was flipped over and thrust to the side of the boat like a “rag doll”.

“At that stage I didn’t even know I’d hit a whale but all I remember is getting up and Sandra being quite concerned because I had a large head gash and there was obviously a lot of blood going everywhere.”

Two of her companions, who had been sitting on the roof of the boat at the time, were thrown overboard.

Despite suffering a nasty head wound, Ms Hennessy said she was more worried about her friends.

“I was more concerned and quite hysterical about the fact that I knew the girls would have been thrown off the boat and I could hear the motor still running and I thought I might have run them over…I was really worried about them.”

Ms Hennessy radioed for help and alerted nearby tournament vessels who came to the party’s rescue.

Fortunately, Ms Hennessy’s friends escaped serious injury.

“I’m thankful that nobody was hurt,” she said.

“I don’t believe the whale was hurt. It was only confirmed once we got the girls back on board the boat and because of their higher position on the boat, they actually saw the whale but pretty much went ‘oh look a whale’ and were catapulted off the boat.

“It was scary, it was confusing…it happened all so quickly. The fact that I didn’t know what was going on because I didn’t see the whale, I was concentrating, I was the skipper of the vessel at the time. I take that very importantly. When you’re in charge of a vessel, I don’t take that light-heartedly.

Ms Hennessy was taken to hospital and received nine stitches to her head.

Looking back on the accident, Ms Hennessy said she could not have avoided the collision.

“There was no way I could have prepared for it and that was the unfortunate thing,” she said.

“I’ve been fishing in Broome for 15-16 years; I’m well aware of the waters. I’ve had lots of close whale interactions …it was a freak accident.

“I’m thankful everybody has come out ok.”

Ms Hennessy said the incident served as a reminder for other fishers and boaties to be vigilant when on the waters.

“There’s a lot more whales than ever before out there,” she said.

“That’s what we’ve got to remember these days. They’re everywhere now.”

“Maybe we just need to keep it in our minds that because there are so many more.”