WHALE OF A TALE

Whale Sinks Rescue Boat in ‘Harrowing’ Accident

The fire rescue crew was returning from security duty at America’s 250th anniversary celebrations.

A New Jersey fire rescue crew ended up needing a rescue of its own after a whale slammed into its boat and sank it in a freak Fourth of July accident. The Carteret Fire Department said Marine Unit 2 was heading back from a security assignment near the Statue of Liberty during America’s 250th anniversary celebrations when disaster struck around 4:30 p.m. As the vessel approached the mouth of Raritan Bay, a whale breached directly beneath the boat, smashing into its stern. Mayor Dan Reiman said the collision caused “catastrophic” damage. The boat rapidly filled with water, giving firefighters only seconds to abandon ship before it disappeared beneath the surface. Help arrived from an unlikely pair of first responders: a jet skier and a recreational boater pulled the crew from the water and kept them aboard until marine units from the nearby Perth Amboy Fire Department reached the scene. All of the firefighters made it home safely, according to the department. Officials have not said whether the whale was injured in the collision.