A man has spent two hours in the water after his eight-metre boat struck a whale and sank in waters 37 kilometres off Queensland's Hervey Bay.
The man, the lone occupant onboard, was able to activate his emergency beacon after the incident just before 3am on Sunday.
Two hours later rescue helicopters and water police found the man floating in the water and he was taken to hospital with arm and rib injuries and hypothermia.
"It was a little bit difficult to actually get him into the vessel (because of his injuries)," Hervey Bay Water Police officer Senior Constable Craig Collings said.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
"He was quite fatigued and relieved at the same time."
It is not known what kind of whale hit the man's boat, police said.
