Video captured the remarkable moment a whale leapt onto a fishing boat, capsizing it and flinging two people into the water.
The incident happened off the coast of New Hampshire, on the north-east coast of the US, on Tuesday.
Video captured by Colin Yager, who was in a nearby boat with his brother, shows the huge creature partially leaving the water before crashing down onto the rear of a fishing vessel, flipping it over and sending its two occupants into the Atlantic Ocean.
Onlookers can be heard saying “oh my God” as the whale.
Mr Yager told NBC News he and his brother pulled the two people from the water.
The Coast Guard said on X it had received a mayday call stating a 23-foot centre console boat had overturned because of a whale breach, half-a-mile east of Odiorne Point State Park.
“The occupants were ejected from the vessel as the boat capsized,” it wrote, adding that an urgent marine information broadcast was issued and the Coast Guard station at Portsmouth Harbor was alerted.
“A good Samaritan recovered both individuals from the water. No injuries were reported,” the Coast Guard wrote.
“We are grateful to the good Samaritans for taking such quick action to rescue these two individuals. Bravo Zulu!”
The whale - believed to be a humpback - did not appear to be injured, reported the boat crew from Station Portsmouth, and the boat was salvaged.
The incident was reported to the Centre of Coastal Studies Marine Animal Hotline and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Humpback whales are found in waters across the world. Global populations declined dramatically during the heyday of commercial whaling, but the species is increasing in number despite other threats from fishing gear and vessels.
They can measure as long as 16m (52ft) in length, and when fully grown weigh approximately 36 metric tons - around the same as three double-decker buses.
