Whale strikes New Jersey fireboat, crew rescued unharmed

A New Jersey fireboat was struck and sunk by a surfacing whale on Saturday, July 4, forcing its crew of firefighters to abandon ship in Raritan Bay. All personnel were rescued unharmed.

The incident occurred at approximately 4:30 p.m. as Carteret Fire Department Marine Unit 2 was returning to its home port after assisting with a regional marine security detail in the New York-New Jersey port area. Officials said the vessel was south of the Arthur Kill at the mouth of Raritan Bay when a whale breached violently beneath its stern.

The impact caused catastrophic damage, and the boat immediately began taking on water. Firefighters aboard had only seconds to escape before the vessel sank. A nearby recreational vessel reported observing a pod of whales breaching both before and after the collision.

All crew members were wearing properly fitted life jackets. They were assisted by a recreational jet skier and another boater who came to their aid before members of the Perth Amboy Fire Department's marine unit arrived to complete the rescue.

Carteret Mayor Dan Reiman confirmed the whale strike and described the event as a harrowing experience for those involved. The fire department stated...