A whale sank this NJ fire boat — and the crew had seconds to escape

🐳A breaching whale struck a Carteret fire department boat in Raritan Bay

🐳Firefighters abandoned ship and were rescued by nearby marine units and boaters

🐳No firefighters were injured by the breach

CARTERET — A whale breaching in Raritan Bay destroyed a New Jersey fire department's marine unit on Saturday afternoon.

The Carteret Fire Department Marine Unit was part of a regional marine security detail in the Arthur Kill at the mouth of the bay around 4:30 p.m. when it was violently struck under the stern, according to Mayor Dan Reiman. The craft immediately took on water within seconds, and the firefighters had to abandon ship.

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Carteret Emergency Services Marine Unit before it was breached by a whale

Firefighters shaken but not injured

Marine units from Perth Amboy and the Port Authority, a recreational jet ski operator and another boater helped pull the firefighters out of the water, according to the mayor. The firefighters were all wearing life jackets at the time and no one was injured.

"While the Carteret Fire Department Marine Unit regularly trains to rescue civilians from the water and respond to marine emergencies, fires, and vehicle incidents, an event of this nature is something no one anticipates," the Carteret Fire Department said. "Understandably, it has left those involved shaken, but we are incredibly thankful that everyone returned home safely to their families."

A pod of whales had been spotted in the area and were occasionally breaching. The incident is under investigation. Humpback whales typically feed in Raritan Bay in the summer, according to the New York Department of Environmental Conservation.

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