Key Points
- A boat has capsized in New Zealand, killing five people.
- It is believed the vessel overturned after a collision with a whale.
Five people in New Zealand have died after a small charter boat capsized in what may have been a collision with a whale.
Another six people on board the boat were rescued.
Police said the 8.5-metre boat overturned near the South Island town of Kaikoura on Saturday.
They are continuing to investigate the cause of the accident.
"This has been a tragic event and the police are providing support to those involved at this very difficult time," Kaikoura Police Sergeant Matt Boyce told reporters at the scene, news website Stuff reported.
Kaikoura Mayor Craig Mackle said the water was dead calm at the time of the accident and the assumption was that a whale had surfaced from beneath the boat.
He said there were some sperm whales in the area and also some humpback whales travelling through.
Six people were rescued from the boat after rescue teams were deployed. Source: AAP / AP
Mr Mackle said he'd thought in the past about the possibility of a boat and whale colliding, given the number of whales that frequent the region.
"It always plays on your mind that it could happen," he said, adding that he hadn't heard about any previous such accidents.
Mr Mackle said the boat was a fishing charter vessel.
Kaikoura is a popular whale-watching destination.
The sea floor drops away precipitously from the coast, making for deep waters close to the shore.
Compliance agency Maritime New Zealand said it sent two investigators to the scene and would be conducting a thorough investigation once recovery operations had concluded.
Principal Investigator Tracy Phillips said the agency "offers its heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones of the people who have died".
