Whale sinks New Jersey firefighters' boat, sending crew overboard

As New Jersey firefighters returned from a July 4 security patrol, a breaching whale erupted beneath their boat, leaving them only seconds to escape before it began taking on water.

The incident unfolded on July 4 at around 4:30 p.m. local time, south of the Arthur Kill at the mouth of Raritan Bay off of Staten Island's South Shore, according to the Carteret Fire Department & EMS Division. A marine unit was heading back to Carteret waters after assisting with a routine regional security detail in the New York and New Jersey Port area.

A whale had breached beneath the stern of the boat and struck the vessel, causing what the fire department described as "catastrophic damage."

"The boat immediately began taking on water, leaving the firefighters aboard only seconds to abandon the vessel," the department said in a news release on July 5.

A nearby recreational jet ski operator and another boater immediately helped rescue the firefighters, the department said. Members of the Perth Amboy Fire Department Marine Unit and FMBA Local 58/258, chapters of a firefighting union, also assisted in rescuing the firefighters from the channel.

All personnel aboard the vessel survived the incident and no injuries were reported, according to the department.

A recreational vessel told authorities it had observed a pod of whales breaching in the area before and after the collision, the department said. The circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation.

'An event of this nature is something no one anticipates'

The fire department said the incident was an unusual one for a marine unit that routinely trains for water rescues and responses to marine emergencies, fires, and vehicle incidents.

"An event of this nature is something no one anticipates," the department said. "Understandably, it has left those involved shaken, but we are incredibly thankful that everyone returned home safely to their families."

The department also pointed to the importance of wearing life jackets, noting that every firefighter aboard was wearing a personal flotation device when the vessel was struck.

The department thanked numerous agencies, labor organizations, and public officials for their support following the incident, including Carteret Mayor Dan Reiman, the Carteret Borough Council, the Jersey City Fire Department, and the New Jersey Regional Fireboat Task Force.

"Yesterday's events serve as a powerful reminder that no matter how routine a mission may seem, every emergency response carries risks," the department said. "We are incredibly grateful that every member made it home safely."

Carteret is a borough in northeastern Middlesex County, New Jersey, across the Arthur Kill tidal strait from Staten Island.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Whale sinks New Jersey firefighters' boat, sending crew overboard

Reporting by Thao Nguyen, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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This story was originally published July 6, 2026 at 9:15 PM.