Whale breach near Seward turns into a boat rescue

Five people walk away safely after a humpback whale breaches under their boat in Derby Cove right outside of Seward.

“When it hit I didn’t really know what it was, I was confused,” said boat captain Louis Ullrich. “We probably went three or four feet vertical. I gathered myself and saw three of my friends on the floor of the boat then I saw the fin next to us.”

Ullrich said him and four others were out enjoying the water and were casually fishing when they had seen the whale from a distance until the humpback came breaching under his boat the “Salt Shaker.”

The force of the whale was so strong it knocked off one of Ullrich’s passengers into the water who was then eventually able get back onto the boat. Along with knocking off passengers the whale’s breach created a hole on the boat.

“The people on the boat were already abandoning the boat,” said Keith McGee who witnessed the ship getting towed back to shore. “Another vessel came by and picked them up. The boat was starting to roll over so he tied the boat to side of his boat.”

Everyone aboard the Salt Shaker is alright, and Ullrich says he is already planning on buying a new boat.