Whale of a surprise: Rare humpback sighting stuns off Phuket’s coast

The incredibly rare sight of a humpback whale was spotted off the coast of Phuket this morning. Charoen Chanaphon, a tour boat operator, reported the unusual encounter. Sailing from Phuket towards Phi Phi island around 11.45am today, he noticed the majestic mammal. The tour boat operator did not confirm if any tourists were present on the boat during the whale’s sighting.

Charoen detailed that the whale seemed to be navigating from southeast to southwest. Shortly after its sighting, the humpback commenced its dive, with its tail rising above the sea surface before it embarked on its descent. Though initially uncertain about the creature’s exact species, Charoen later confirmed it was a humpback whale, based on the assessment of his captured photograph by the rare marine animal team from the National Science and Technology Development Agency.

The Phuket Info Center revealed that humpback sightings are highly infrequent in the waters around Phuket. To put this into context, this was only the second official recorded sighting of this species in these waters, reported The Phuket News.

Humpback whales, scientifically known as Megaptera novaeangliae, annually migrate from Antarctic feeding grounds to tropical areas for mating and calving. They are particularly prevalent in the southern regions of the Indian Ocean. This sighting in the Andaman Sea, closer to Phuket and the surrounding islands, is a testament to the fact that these majestic mammals do inhabit these waters.

However, maritime experts advised caution for anyone who might encounter these whales within the next two to three days in the waters off Phuket, near Racha Island or Phang-Nga Bay. They recommended people maintain a respectful distance, sail cautiously, and report further sightings to the authorities, ideally noting down the date, time, location, and coordinates.

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