Humpback whale strikes fishing boat off Long Island
A humpback whale collided with a 34-foot fishing boat off the coast of Long Island, New York, near Moriches Inlet. The incident occurred while a group of fishermen, including Steven Heid, were fishing with their engine off due to the presence of baitfish.
Video captured by Heid’s nephew shows the whale surfacing and striking the vessel. The impact was described by Heid as feeling like a freight train hitting the boat. Despite the force of the collision, the boat remained seaworthy and the whale swam away unharmed.
The footage of the encounter gained significant viral attention, reaching 11 million views within 24 hours. Robert DiGiovanni of the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society used the event to remind the public to maintain distance from marine wildlife to ensure the safety of both people and animals.
Entities
Atlantic Marine Conservation Society · Long Island · Moriches Inlet · Robert DiGiovanni · Steven Heid
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 3 SOURCES] A humpback whale collided with a 34-foot fishing boat off the coast of Long Island, New York. abc11.com · abc7.com · abc7news.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The whale swam away from the encounter unharmed. abc11.com · abc7.com · abc7news.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The 34-foot boat remained seaworthy following the collision. abc11.com · abc7.com · abc7news.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Atlantic Marine Conservation Society advises people to give whales space to avoid injury to the animals. abc11.com · abc7.com · abc7news.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The collision felt like being hit by a freight train. abc11.com · abc7.com · abc7news.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The video of the encounter received 11 million views within 24 hours. abc11.com · abc7.com · abc7news.com