RYE, N.H. -- Officials say a boat ran over a whale in front of three whale-watching boats about 20 miles at sea last weekend.
The finback whale, about 60 feet long, suffered a deep gash in its side, but Coast Guard officials said it did not appear to be seriously hurt. Finbacks are a federally protected endangered species.
Officials say the driver of the 24-foot-boat did not stop, but tourists snapped detailed pictures of the boat and driver. Officials said they talked to the driver Tuesday and were continuing their investigation.
Violations of the Marine Mammal Protection Act are punishable by up to a year in prison or a $25,000 fine, according to Michael Henry, a special agent with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. He said charges would require proof the act was intentional or neglectful.
"Whale strikes are rare. We don't investigate them very much," Henry said. "Typically, boaters are well aware of whales and try to avoid them. In this situation, there were several witnesses."
Jen Kennedy was one of about 60 passengers on the Atlantic Queen, which had followed the whale and another finback for about an hour before the incident. Kennedy, marine conservation director of the Blue Ocean Society, said she has seen many boats come close to whales without hitting them.
"Usually, they'll see the whale spout and put on the brakes really fast and try to divert it, but (this boat) just kept going," she said.
"The passengers were very mad and started yelling at the boat."
Kennedy estimated the boat was traveling 25 mph when it struck the whale. The Coast Guard and New Hampshire Marine Patrol arrived soon after after, could not find the whale or speedboat. Coast Guard Petty Officer Karinne Spethman said the boat driver later contacted authorities to report he had struck a whale. His named was not immediately released.
Kennedy, who saw three men on the boat, said the whale surfaced nine times before it was hit, each time spouting water 20 feet into the air.
"The fact that he didn't see any of this blows my mind," she said of the driver. "It was almost the size of our boat. They're lucky they didn't get hurt."
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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