USCBS NewsTHU 01 OCT 2026 / 6:14 AM CDT

Whale sinks yacht in South Pacific, sailors rescued alive 18 hours later

A sperm whale cracked the hull of a yacht sailing in the remote South Pacific, forcing four sailors into a day-and-night fight for survival on the high seas.

Crew members on the 52-foot Tai Tam told AFP on Thursday of their weekend encounter with a pod of sperm whales 250 nautical miles north of tiny Norfolk Island.

"There was sort of a loud thud. The whole boat was pushed sideways," said Australian Jemma Cooper, who was thrown from the steering wheel by the force of the blow.

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Whale sinks yacht in South Pacific, sailors rescued alive 18 hours later

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