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NEED TO KNOW A humpback whale unexpectedly surfaced near Vancouver, causing a whale-watching vessel to stop abruptlySeveral passengers sustained minor injuries; four were hospitalized following the sudden maneuverAuthorities are monitoring the area for whale safety amid rising vessel traffic and high whale density A whale-watching excursion near Vancouver, Canada, took a sudden turn when a humpback whale unexpectedly surfaced in the vessel's path. On Thursday, Oct. 23, according to the company, as reported by CBC, the crew members of Prince of Whales Adventures made a “decisive” maneuver to avoid the massive mammal and were able to stop almost immediately. “Although the vessel was able to stop almost immediately, there was minimal contact with the whale during the maneuver,” the company said in a statement. The sudden stop allegedly caused several passengers to fall, leading to some minor injuries, according to the outlet. The B.C. Emergency Health Services later transported four passengers to the hospital on Granville Island. Prince of Whales emphasized that the encounter came as a surprise, since the whale was not being actively monitored at the time. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, or DFO, confirmed that it received a report of the collision in Howe Sound and said the whale was seen surfacing three times after the incident. Its identity has not been verified, and Prince of Whales is cooperating fully with authorities. PEOPLE reached out to Prince of Whales and did not receive an immediate response. This incident comes just weeks after a high-speed passenger ferry struck another humpback, a calf, near Vancouver in English Bay. The baby whale was later identified with a deep gash near its dorsal fin. In a statement, the DFO has stressed that humpbacks are particularly vulnerable to ship strikes and getting stuck in fishing gear. The probability and severity of a strike depend on factors such as whale density, vessel traffic, and the size and speed of boats. The southern Salish Sea has seen a growing population of humpback whales in recent years, with an estimated 416 animals using the waterways between Vancouver and the western end of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. “In October, the southern Strait of Georgia off Vancouver is one of the areas of highest whale density," explained the statement. "This is also an area with multiple ferry routes and important whale-watching activity.” The DFO has instructed enforcement officers and the Pacific Whale Watch Association to monitor the area for potentially injured animals, as poor weather and high winds are expected. Read the original article on People
