Watch: Yacht sinks after hitting pod of whales, crew rescued hours later
Yacht sinks after hitting pod of whales in Pacific Ocean
The Tai Tam, a 52-foot yacht, sank after hitting a pod of sperm whales in the Pacific Ocean over the weekend. The four crew members aboard the ship were rescued several hours later. (Credit: New Zealand Defense Force)
Dramatic video shared by a New Zealand rescue team showed the moments a yacht sank after hitting a pod of whales.
Rescue at sea
Dig deeper:
The passengers aboard the Tai Tam, a 52-foot yacht, were sailing somewhere in the Pacific Ocean when their vessel hit a pod of sperm whales over the weekend, according to The New York Post.
The vessel began to take on water after the hit and the passengers were forced to abandon ship.
It took about 18 hours before someone came to the rescue.
FILE - Survivors of the Tai Tam seen in a lifeboat. (Credit: New Zealand Defense Force)
What they're saying:
"The crew of the yacht did all the right things," according to a news release from the New Zealand Defense Force, which was part of the rescue team. "They were well prepared and the early activation of their EPIRB was key to helping get them to safety. It is an excellent reminder that being prepared when going to sea can save your life."
The four people were taken aboard another ship and brought to the nearest port.
The Source: Information for this article was taken from a news release from the New Zealand Defense Force that was published on Sept. 27, 2026, a video shared on the NZ Defense Force Facebook account of the rescue on Sept. 28, 2026, and reporting by The New York Post. This story was reported from San Jose.