Saturday was a perfect day for boating, with flat conditions and bright sun. Eleven people boarded an 8.5m boat in Goose Bay, Kaikoura, keen to enjoy the day out on the water. Tragically, within minutes of leaving the bay, the boat capsized after reportedly hitting a whale, resulting in the death of five people.
The seas were calm and the sun was shining when the boat capsized near Goose Bay yesterday. Photo:
Kaikoura residents woke up to the sad news on Sunday morning, as emergency services continued to search for two people still missing. It was a very mournful Sunday in Kaikōura, as residents came to terms with the tragic loss of five people in a boating accident.
Earlier in the day, Kaikōura’s mayor Craig Mackle said he believed the boat had hit a whale. Six people were reported alive, with one person receiving minor injuries. They were taken to hospital before returning to their accommodation, police told media at a press conference shortly after 5 pm yesterday. The police dive squad recovered the five who had been found dead in the vessel, Sergeant Matt Boyce said. “We are in the process of identifying those people and our next job is to notify their next of kin.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
Our thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives in this tragic accident.
