Would-Be Rescuer Feared Killed by Whale Tail Blow (even whales hate PETA)

Yahoo! News / Reuters ^ | 6.16.03

[mhking]

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - A New Zealand man trying to free a 50 foot humpback whale ensnared in lobster pot ropes is missing and presumed dead after being hit by the whale's tail, police said Monday.

The 38-year-old, who has not yet been named, had gone to the aid of a whale in waters near the popular whale-watching town of Kaikoura, 90 miles south of Wellington.

"He was trying to cut the rope free from the whale's tail and the whale lifted its tail and struck him," Kaikoura police Sergeant Tony Yardley told Reuters.

A four-hour search by boats and a helicopter found no sign of the man and he was presumed dead, Yardley added.

Several species of whale are attracted to the deep, food-rich waters off the coast of Kaikoura, which in turn attract large numbers of tourists to the region.

[hchutch]

Well, PETA ought to be happy with me:

All the veal I eat is dolphin-safe. :)

[IYAS9YAS]

Whale - 1

PETA Moron - 0

Proving once again, these people ain't necessarily the sharpest pencils in the holder.

[Onelifetogive]

Sad...

It's almost like the whale is a wild animal and fails to appreciate the good this man was attempting to do??

Whales are supposed to be so much smarter than humans...can this whale be brought up on manslaughter charges? Is this a hate crime...did this whale practice species-ism? We need an investigation?

[b4its2late]

Whales version of "Whack a Mole".

[glock rocks]

The 38-year-old, who has not yet been named

let's just call him bob.

[Poohbah]

The 38-year-old, who has not yet been named

let's just call him bob.

No, it's obviously Greg Packer of Huntington, New York.

[patriot_wes]

"This is truly a Whale of a Tail!"

[hchutch]

LOL!

[VaBthang4]

LOL...

[VaBthang4]

ROTFLOL...

[VaBthang4]

Greg Packer...or Pecker....or whoever that NYT "Man on the street" guy is.

[VaBthang4]

ROTFLOL!!!

[CheezyD]

At least he died doing a good deed and working with the animals he loved. We should all be so lucky.

[dirtboy]

"He was trying to cut the rope free from the whale's tail and the whale lifted its tail and struck him,"...A four-hour search by boats and a helicopter found no sign of the man and he was presumed dead, Yardley added.

He's probably still going deeper after a shot like that.

[Prodigal Son]

I didn't see a mention of PETA in the article. I might've attempted the same thing myself. The same as I would jump in a river or run into a burning house/barn to save my dog or horse or what not. Be a shame to stand there and watch the creature drown if you legitimately felt you could do something about it. I'll take a lesson from this fellow's predicament should the situation ever arise- don't get too close to the tail. Whale probably didn't even realize the guy was there or was panicked (as would we all be if we were busy drowning)...

[Poohbah]

As soon as I saw that he was 38 years old, I knew Greg was our man!

[Let's Roll]

My thoughts too, Prodigal. We don't know it was PETA - probably just a case of no good deed going unpunished.

[autoresponder]

- Jonah -

- Hero or a whale's snack?

[DannyTN]

"- Jonah - - Hero or a whale's snack? "

Both - Heroic Whale Snack