Whale watching becomes a dangerous pursuit

When you go whale watching one of the last things you'd expect is to be injured by a whale.

Except that has happened twice in the past month, Travel Mole reports.

A humpback whale landed on top of a boat off Ahome, Mexico, this week, badly damaging the craft and injuring four people onboard. One was seriously injured.

Local officials have now warned boat operators carrying tourists to keep their distance from migrating whales off the coast.

“Please do not get too close to the whales: we can enjoy their beauty, but at a distance, prudently,” said the mayor of Ahome, Gerardo Vargas.

The boat’s roof collapsed after it was body slammed by the whale and the vessel had to be towed back to port.

Local media reported that it was being investigated whether those on board were harassing the whale, and whether the attack was deliberate.

The region is noted as a place for whale watching with migrating humpback and blue whales.

A similar incident occurred last month in La Paz, Baja California Sur, when five people were injured.