Sperm Whale Collides With Yacht, Couple Rescued After 17 Hours at Sea

Sailors Jeremy and Gemma Cooper were 500 nautical miles off the coast of New Zealand when the Tai Tam lurched to port, revealing that it had been hit by something colossal. The pair watched in disbelief as a pod of six sperm whales swam behind the struggling yacht.

The vessel began taking on water and sank, forcing the crew to launch a life raft. After a desperate 17 hours adrift, a container ship found the stranded sailors and brought them to shore.

"We’re just relieved to be alive," the Coopers told the BBC, adding that they would return to sailing in the near future.

Video produced by Lana Lam, edited by Alex Foster.