A 29-year-old Australian woman has suffered serious injuries after being struck by a humpback whale while swimming with a tour group at Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia. The incident occurred on Saturday, leaving the woman with fractured ribs and internal bleeding.
St John Ambulance reported that the woman sustained internal bleeding and upper torso injuries from the crush. Unconfirmed reports suggest she may have been trapped between two of the giant mammals, which can grow up to 19 metres in length.
The woman was treated in Exmouth before being flown to a hospital in Perth, where she remains in a serious but stable condition. Other guests on the snorkelling tour witnessed the incident but were uninjured, according to Western Australia Police. The tour group was just a few hundred metres from the shore when the incident occurred.
Police confirmed that work safety regulators are investigating the incident, as it involved a charter group. Swimming with humpback whales is currently part of a five-year trial in the region, monitored by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA). Fifteen tour operators are licensed to take groups of up to nine swimmers, with guidelines advising a minimum distance of 15 metres from the animals.
The DBCA stated it is working closely with the industry and the tour operator to understand how the incident occurred, acknowledging that swimming with humpback whales involves some inherent risk. Since the trial began in 2016, nearly 10,000 participants have swum with humpback whales without any previous serious injuries.
Ningaloo Reef, located on Western Australia's Coral Coast, is renowned for its marine biodiversity and is a popular tourist destination. The region's borders are currently closed to international and interstate visitors due to coronavirus restrictions.
