A crew of four sailors was forced to abandon their yacht in the South Pacific after a pod of sperm whales collided with their vessel, causing significant damage and flooding. The incident occurred about 250 nautical miles north of Norfolk Island on Saturday afternoon, leaving the crew stranded until their rescue on Sunday morning.
The 16-meter yacht, named Tai Tam, was carrying Australians Jemma Cooper and her husband Jeremy, New Zealander Terry Hetherington, and French joiner Martin Jaffre. According to the crew, the first sign of trouble came when a sperm whale struck the side of the yacht with enough force to push it sideways, throwing Jemma Cooper from the steering wheel. The sailors then spotted a pod of six to eight whales nearby, including two roughly the same length as the boat.
The collision severely damaged the yacht’s fibreglass hull and smashed all the steering gear on the starboard side. Water began flooding the vessel, and the crew immediately activated a mayday signal approximately 30 minutes after the impact. They spent several hours attempting to bail out water and slow the ingress using materials such as expanding foam. Jaffre also swam beneath the yacht to inspect the damage firsthand.
Despite their efforts to save the Tai Tam, the crew ultimately decided to abandon ship late Saturday night, transferring to a life raft in calm seas under a full moon. Out of concern that the sinking yacht might drag them down, they cut the tether connecting them to the vessel. The yacht sank shortly afterward.
Rescue coordination was led by the Royal New Zealand Air Force, which deployed a P-8A Poseidon patrol aircraft to the area. The aircraft established radio communications and helped direct a nearby 143-meter container ship, the MV Sofrana Surville, to the life raft. The sailors were picked up at roughly 6 a.m. Sunday, about 18 hours after the initial collision. The crew climbed a rope ladder aboard the container ship and were welcomed by the ship’s captain.
The sailors expressed relief at their safe rescue despite the ordeal. Jeremy Cooper reflected on the troubling end to their Pacific holiday, describing the experience as “wonderful” but concluding with “just a terrible, terrible ending” without injury or loss of life. The incident highlights the hazards of ocean navigation and the potential dangers posed by marine wildlife encounters.