Watercraft operator identified after slamming into grey whale, Vancouver police say

A shocking scene unfolded off Vancouver’s coast—sparking outrage among bystanders and marine mammal experts alike.

An investigation is underway after a watercraft operator slammed into a grey whale feeding off the coast of Vancouver this week—an incident that caused shock and upset among bystanders.

Social media videos show the moment a personal watercraft struck the massive cetacean as it was surfacing for air Monday evening in Burrard Inlet, near Siwash Rock.

The force of the impact sent the operator flying off the vehicle and into the water.

“It was awful to watch, to be honest,” said Rachael Taylor, who witnessed the incident. “I have a lot of concern for both the whale and the person.”

Authorities said the personal watercraft operator was rescued by someone on a nearby sailboat, taken to shore by a search-and-rescue crew, then transported to hospital in serious but stable condition.

Andrew Aikenhead, another whale watcher, said onlookers were growing concerned in the moments leading up to the collision, as the watercraft operator zoomed around the area.

Some people were “waving and yelling, calling him an idiot, telling him to slow down,” Aikenhead said.

After the crash, it was immediately apparent that the operator needed help, he added.

“I really hope he’s OK,” Aikenhead said. “He’s sort of, you know, public enemy No. 1 in Vancouver, but I just hope that he’s able to make a full recovery.”

The Vancouver Police Department confirmed officers have identified and spoken with the individual, as well as multiple witnesses.

Const. Darren Wong noted the department has some jurisdiction over the waters of Burrard Inlet, and said investigators are looking into the possibility that the watercraft was being driven “too fast, or recklessly.”

“These are all things that are being considered in the investigation,” Wong said.

Fisheries Act offences—such as disturbing a marine mammal—would be investigated by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, which told CTV News it could not comment on the incident Tuesday except to confirm that staff are working to assess whether the whale was injured.

• Related: Crowding grey whale off Vancouver coast could cause ‘live stranding,’ officials warn

The grey whale has been spotted close to the shoreline for more than a week, offering a rare treat for passersby—but the public’s fascination with the creature has also caused concern among officials, particularly as some onlookers attempt to catch a glimpse from boats and other vessels.

Experts previously warned that crowding the whale carries a serious risk of “live-stranding,” when an animal gets caught somewhere so shallow it’s unable to swim away.

Approaching, feeding or otherwise interacting with whales is also forbidden under Canada’s Fisheries Act. Watchers are required to remain at least 100 metres from grey whales, and a minimum of 200 metres if the whales are resting or accompanied by a calf.

Those who fail to do so can face fines of up to $100,000 for a first offence.

Jackie Hildering of the Marine Education and Research Society said she hopes the outrage sparked by Monday’s incident will help drive the message home that there is “zero excuse for boaters not to be educated.”

“Let this be a wake-up call,” Hildering said. “We have to demand a culture of whale-safe boating.”

She noted the potential effects of the collision on the whale might not be clear right away.

“Much like us being in car accidents, you don’t know how the blunt-force trauma is going to manifest down the line,” Hildering said.

Anyone who witnesses someone disturbing a whale can report it to the DFO’s Marine Mammal Incident Hotline at 1-800-465-4336.

With files from CTV News Vancouver’s Shannon Paterson and Isabella Zavarise