Japanese fisherman dies after whale knocks boat over (video)

[Opal storm]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHIBwl-rSaI[/youtube]

TOKYO (AP) — A Japanese fisherman trying to help rescue a wayward whale was knocked off his boat and died, officials said.
The body of Noriyuki Yamamoto, 58, was recovered by divers, and he was pronounced dead at a hospital in Uwajima, said Satoshi Nishikawa, an Ehime state government official.

Fishermen and officials were trying to coax the 50-foot-long sperm whale out of Uwajima Bay on Tuesday afternoon and into the open sea when the mammal suddenly went wild, Nishikawa said.


The whale hit the 2-ton boat carrying Yamamoto and two other fishermen, who were also tossed into the sea but were rescued.

[Lindaloo]

The best thing they could have done was to just leave that whale alone. He would have freed himself. By them making banging noises then trying to rope him only caused further confusion for the whale. It is a very tragic situation all the way around.