A group of tourists were left badly injured after the terrifying moment a humpback whale smashed into their vessel.
The collision happened just off the coast of Mexico when a tourist boat was catapulted high into the air after the boat crashed into the back of the marine animal.
The shocking video footage also shows a number of passengers thrown into the sea. Reportedly, the collision has lead to five injuries with three kept in hospital and one reported as seriously injured in the incident, the Daily Star reported.
Local reports have confirmed an investigation is underway to discover why the tour boat had not kept a safe distance between the whale, with reports suggesting the boat was exceeding the speed limit.
The state's Civil Protection authority shared footage of the incident which apparently showed tourists crashing through the boat's cover and being thrown high into the air following the collision.
Civil Protection spokesperson Benjamin Garcia told local media that the boat's operators may not have known of the whale's presence, said: "The whale came up from the sea and that is when it pushed the boat, with some passengers falling and suffering injuries.
"Three people were hospitalised, one of them seriously, and two others were treated at the port."
Mr Garcia also said the Mexican Navy rescue unit was on hand to transfer injured tourists to medical centres, and said there would be an investigation from the Attorney General's Office into the incident.
It is unknown at this stage whether the whale was badly injured in the crash, but an investigation is being launched to discover whether the tour operator was at fault following claims the boat was exceeding the speed restrictions.
Whale watching tours are increasingly popular in the Baja region with tourists choosing to make the most of the scenic views and warm temperatures - which also attract whales in the region.
