A fisherman is fighting for his life in an induced coma after his boat was hit by a whale off the coast of Western Australia.
Grandfather John Craike, 69, and his son Ry, 39, were injured when their fishing boat collided with a whale on Tuesday night.
Emergency crews were called shortly before 7pm after the incident occurred about 18 kilometres off the coast of Kalbarri in the state’s midwest.
The Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) believed the vessel was moving at the time of impact.
It took sea rescue teams about an hour to find the injured couple’s boat and escort it to shore. ABC reported.
The couple were treated by paramedics and taken to Kalbarri Hospital for assessment.
John was flown to Royal Perth Hospital by the Royal Flying Doctor Service early on Wednesday morning, where he remains in an induced coma.
He is known to have suffered a traumatic brain injury.
Grandfather John and his 39-year-old son Ry Craike were injured when their boat collided with a whale on Tuesday night.
Maritime rescue teams found the ship (pictured) and escorted it to shore.
Her son was taken to Geraldton Hospital in a stable condition and has since been released.
It is still unknown what species of whale the ship collided with.
“It’s definitely not something that happens all the time,” said DFES district officer Simon Miller. Nine news.
This comes a day after an alert was issued because an injured whale had attracted sharks to Jakes Point, a popular beach in Kalbarri.
Several dead whales have also washed up on Western Australian beaches in recent days.
The Department of Transportation is investigating the incident.
John was taken to hospital in critical condition after a whale struck his boat on Tuesday (file image)