A man has died after his boat was struck by a whale and flipped in the waters off Sydney on Saturday morning.
Police responded to reports two people were in the water off Cape Banks, La Perouse at about 6am after the boat was reportedly knocked over by the whale.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Man dies after his boat struck by whale.
Watch the latest news and stream for free on 7plus >>
An unconscious man was pulled from the water.
Emergency services to revive him however they were unsuccessful and he was declared dead.
Another man was rescued from the water and treated by paramedics before being taken to hospital in a stable condition.
Acting Superintendent Siobhan Munro said police were first alerted to the incident by occupants on another nearby boat who saw the vessel doing laps without anyone on board.
The vessel has been recovered and will undergo forensic testing however Munro said it was believed the whale breached on or near the boat.
She said it was a “tragic accident” but that reports of whales breaching next to boats was not unheard of.
“This is a tragic accident but not one that I guess would be unexpected,” Munro said.
It is believed the boat had been in the water for about 45 minutes when the accident happened.
Munro could not confirm the relationship between the two men.
She said the boat’s skipper, who survived, was “in shock” and that he had attempted to keep the other man afloat in the water while waiting for help.
It’s unclear if the men were wearing life jackets.
“It’s a stark reminder about the boating season and how dangerous it can be on our waterways,” Munro said.
“Police will be out there on the waterways … conducting compliance checks … and all the things that we do to make sure the community is safe.”
Foreshore Road Boat Ramp at Botany remains closed as investigations continue.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) said there are an incredible amount of whales around this year and advised swimmers and boaters to stay 100m away from a whale and 300m from a whale with a calf.
The death comes on the first day of National Safe Boating Week.
AMSA acting manager of vessel operations Shontelle Chamtaprieo said safe boating practices can make the difference between life and death on the water.
”Life jackets and distress beacons significantly increase the chances of survival in boating incidents,” she said.
– With AAP
If you’d like to view this content, please adjust your .
To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide.