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Two people are reportedly dead and three more missing after a boat in New Zealand collided with a whale and capsized.
News organization Stuff reported that two people had died in the accident Saturday morning near the South Island town of Kaikōura.
Kaikōura Mayor Craig Mackle told The Associated Press he could confirm that 11 people had been aboard the boat at the time of the accident and that six had been safely brought back to shore. He said the boat was a fishing charter vessel and that the passengers would likely have been fishing for cod, grouper and other species.
He said the water was “bloody cold” and the outcome for anybody who had fallen overboard was not likely to be good. He said locals were busy helping out with the rescue efforts but the mood in the town was “somber” as they awaited more news of those who were missing.
