26 October 2023 , 19:29
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A kite surfer said he feared he might die after a breaching humpback whale flipped his board and landed on him.
Australian surfer Jason Breen, 55, was riding the waves off Sydney's northern beaches on Wednesday morning when a whale calf suddenly emerged out of the water next to his board. And incredibly, he managed to capture the terrifying moment on his Go Pro camera.
Jason, a foil wing surfer, can be heard screaming as the enormous mammal breaches the ocean surface and plummets back down, landing on him. He took a few moments to gather himself and can then be seen climbing back on his board as the whale's tail darts back below the waves.
Jason Breen was riding the waves off one of Sydney's northern beaches (Sky News)
The surfer said that he thought he might die (Sky News)He appeared to be shocked - but thankfully, remained unharmed during the ordeal, which was also filmed by passer-by Paul Netteback, who also called emergency services, from the shore, reports the Daily Star. "I just got hit by a whale," he was heard shouting.
Describing the astonishing occurrence to Seven News, Breen said: "I saw the head come out, then I saw the body come out. I saw the whole thing above me."
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He added that the whale had gotten caught in his leg rope and "dragged [him] 20 or 30 feet under." He said he could feel the whale's skin against his, adding: "It was a big calf, if it had barnacles I would have been ripped apart because the whale's body was beside me the whole time.
"I thought it was all over," he said. "But then I felt my leash break and I thought, "Thank god" and came up to the top."
But while the ordeal was terrifying, Breen said it hasn't deterred him from his favourite water sport, as nothing could stop him being out in the ocean.