August 17, 2018
Thom Carroll/PhillyVoice
A group fishes on the beach near the north end of Brigantine Island.
New Jersey State Police are laughing themselves silly after a whale surfaced beneath a 20-foot boat sailing off the Jersey shore.
The incident occurred Thursday afternoon, one mile off Deal in Monmouth County. A whale reportedly collided with the fishing boat, sending its two passengers into the water as it capsized.
In retelling the details, state police had some fun on Facebook, channeling the whale episode from "Seinfeld," when George pretends to be a marine biologist. Here's that clip for your reference:
"Whale vs. Boat," police began in a Facebook post about the event.
"Final Score: Whale 1, Boat 0," the post read. "Charges against the whale are pending its apprehension."
Police said no one was seriously injured during the collision. Troopers from the New Jersey State Marine Services Bureau are conducting a vessel accident investigation.
NJ.com reported that the two men on board the vessel were rescued from a retired firefighter, former Captain Gary Szabo. Szabo reportedly found the two men in the water, clinging to the boat, after hearing a "mayday" over the radio while fluke fishing on his own boat.
Other rescue crews, including the U.S. Coast Guard, also responded to the call.
Szabo is six years retired from the Trenton Fire Department and was previously a SCUBA instructor and rescue captain.
