A humpback whale has been struck by a whale-watching vessel near Vancouver.

The incident happened on Thursday afternoon when the humpback unexpectedly surfaced in front of the boat operated by Prince of Whales.

“Although the vessel was able to stop almost immediately, there was minimal contact with the whale during the manoeuvre,” the company said in a statement to CHEK News.

The captain of the vessel turned to avoid the whale and stopped suddenly, causing several passengers to fall.

Most were treated onboard by staff, but three others required additional treatment when the boat returned to the dock in Vancouver, according to the statement.

The company statement says all passengers got refunds for the tour, and the ship’s captain informed both Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Coast

See Full Page