Jet Ski Crashes Into A Humpback Whale

A jet ski crashes into a humpback whale in Iceland and the video footage is going viral. The Daily Mail reports that Brynjar Thor Gunnarsson was enjoying a ride on his jet ski when a large whale suddenly rose to the ocean’s surface. Gunnarsson’s helmet-mounted camera caught the footage at the fjord in Skagafjorour. He had no time for evasive action before the jet ski accidentally crashes into the humpback whale.

Although Mr. Gunnarsson had little time to react, the whale seems to not have even noticed it was hit. The Telegraph notes that the GoPro camera caught the exact moment when Gunnarsson crashes into the humpback whale’s back. He hung onto his jet ski and was able to walk away with unbelievable footage from Iceland. In the video, Gunnarsson’s jet ski is riding the waters and the beautiful scenery is interrupted on the right side of the screen when the back of a humpback whale comes to the surface. The jet ski has no opportunity to veer away from the whale’s path and the video catches Gunnarsson’s jet ski going over the whale.

Grind TV adds that jet skis do not have propellers, similar to other personal watercraft. It is unlikely that the whale was injured, and Gunnarson joked, “If I had been a bit faster, I would probably just jump straight over it.” AOL reports some concerns from Dr. Conor Ryan, officer with the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust, who found the video “disturbing,” citing concerns that Gunnarsson was riding too close to the whales and could have slowed down even more to avoid any injuries in the collision. Jet ski crashes are a concern for animal activists and preservation experts who believe humans get too close to ocean mammals in their natural habitats. Accidental collisions do not seem unlikely when people engage in recreational water activities.

This is not the first time that jet ski crashes make the news. Inquisitr reported about the jet skier who penetrated the JFK airport waters despite New York City’s extensive security system. There was also another incident covered by Inquisitr of a dolphin in a Louisiana lake and people were “encircling and corralling the dolhin with their jet-skis and boats.”It is no surprise that Gunnarsson’s accidental collision has stirred some concerns about the whale’s safety. It is clear from the video that Gunnarsson and his friend were enjoying a recreational water activity when the jet ski encountered the whale by chance.

(Image courtesy of Daily Mail)

(Video courtesy of The Telegraph/Brynjar Thor Gunnarsson ©www.morgan.is/ YouTube)