Whale injures two tourists, kills one in Mexico

Few things on earth match the majesty of an up-close breaching of a whale, but if you're going whale watching you might want to make sure you have a big enough boat (indeed, Jonah’s Whale might not seem such a fable next to an 80-foot finback). Unfortunately, according to The Guardian, that’s the lesson learned by three tourists off the coast of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, after a grey whale reportedly surfaced suddenly in front of the boat, which crashed into it in mid-swerve. All three were injured and one later died.

Details are still fuzzy, including the specifics of the culprit whale. However, indications are the Canadian victim, one of nine returning from a snorkeling expedition, fell off the small boat, received a head blow, or a combination of the two. Nonetheless, she did not respond to resuscitation efforts once pulled from the water and died at a nearby clinic.

Whether the captain was going too fast remains yet unknown, but all have been advised to lower speeds during this year’s migration, which is witnessing a particularly high number of grey whales. In this case, the boat was not traveling in a designated whale watching area, and probably not paying as close attention.

All things considered, it appears to be one of those tragic, but freak accidents on the road, and undoubtedly a jarring reminder to give nature way when it’s headed your direction.