Tourist rescued after falling overboard from whale watching boat

A woman has been rescued after she fell overboard from a whale watching boat off the coast of Queensland.

The woman fell into the water from a Kokomo Cruises vessel on the Gold Coast on Saturday afternoon as visitors gathered to watch a pod of whales.

The woman clung to a life ring as people on her boat tried to help her.

Another tourism operator, Whale Watch Queensland, watched the incident unfold and came to the woman’s aid.

“We approached her and then slowed the vessel,” Whale Watch Queensland owner Gemma Sharp told 9News Queensland.

“She was on our right-hand side and we basically reached out with a gaff, which is a long stick with a hook on the end, so she grabbed onto that.

“That way we had control of her and just gently pulled her along the side of our vessel down to our doorway.

“My sister Jade and my dad were able to physically lift her back up onto the boat.”

Kokomo Cruises said the company was preparing a report for the maritime safety authority, and they were thankful for Whale Watch Queensland for stepping in to assist.