Carteret, New Jersey - New Jersey firefighters had to be rescued after a freak whale strike sank their rescue ship on July 4. Luckily, no one was injured in the wild animal incident!
The Carteret Fire Department Marine Unit 2 was on its way back to local waters after working a Fourth of July security detail near the Statue of Liberty, per a department Facebook post, when disaster struck in the form of a whale.
The vessel was approaching the mouth of Raritan Bay, between New Jersey and Staten Island, when it was "violently struck beneath the stern by a surfacing whale."
The strike caused "catastrophic damage to the vessel," the department wrote.
"The boat immediately began taking on water, leaving the firefighters aboard only seconds to abandon the vessel."
Luckily, the firefighters, who were wearing life vests, weren't left bobbing in the bay for long. A jet skier and a recreational boater pulled the crew on their vessels until marine fire units from the nearby Perth Amboy Fire Department came to the shipwrecked crew's aid.
The number of whales in New Jersey waters is increasing
"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," officials said.
"Understandably, it has left those involved shaken, but we are incredibly thankful that everyone returned home safely to their families."
Officials said that a nearby recreational boat reported observing a pod of whales breaching the water both before and after the shocking incident.
The strike and subsequent sinking are under review. It's unclear if the whale was injured in the incident.
While whale strikes are exceedingly uncommon, the number of whales in the waters off New Jersey has increased as the animals follow their food, per NOAA. Boats in the area have been warned to drive slowly and watch for the marine animals.
The Carteret Fire Department is thankful that its crew escaped the harrowing event: "Yesterday's events serve as a powerful reminder that no matter how routine a mission may seem, every emergency response carries risks – and we are incredibly grateful that every member made it home safely."