Rick Rodriguez of Tavernier, Florida, and three associates confronted a whale of an issue after an enormous whale sank their 44-foot sailboat within the Pacific Ocean. They have been 13 days into a 3 week journey from the Galapagos Island to French Polynesia when, throughout lunch, all hell broke unfastened.

“The second pizza had simply come out of the oven, and I used to be dipping a slice into some ranch dressing,” Rodriguez stated. “The again half of the boat lifted violently upward and to starboard.”The again half of the boat lifted violently upward and to starboard.”

From The Guardian:

Different members of the crew have been thrown by the massive affect, however every noticed from completely different angles {that a} whale had smashed into the boat.

“I noticed a large whale off the port aft facet with its facet fin up within the air,” Alana Litz stated[…]

Rodriguez positioned a mayday name on a VHF radio and dispatched the emergency place indicating radio beacon, a misery sign that’s related to a worldwide rescue community.

The Peruvian coast guard later picked up Rodriguez’s misery beacon and notified a US Coast Guard station in California that oversees American ships within the Pacific Ocean.

Whereas saltwater spilled into the vessel, others within the boat gathered meals, emergency gear and different gear, in addition to contemporary water.

The crew launched their lifeboat and a dinghy. That they had grabbed their security provides however did not have sufficient time to get their passports.

(through NextDraft)