Whale snorkeling in Australia, injured woman

(ANSA) - ROME, AUGUST 03 - A 29-year-old Australian woman was seriously injured during a lebalene snorkeling tour in Australia, in Ningaloo Reef, a popular tourist resort.
   The BBC reports it.
    The woman was participating last Saturday in a tour organized by humpback whales that abound in the area at this time of the year, when, according to unofficial sources, she would have inadvertently been crushed between two of these giant mammals, which can reach 19 meters in length.
    Immediate rescue in the nearest town, Exmouth, various rib fractures and internal bleeding were found. She was then transported to the hospital in Perth, where today she was judged to be in "serious but stable condition".
    According to the Australian Australian police, some participants in the tour witnessed the accident, which occurred a few hundred meters from the shore, remaining unharmed. An investigation is underway to verify the dynamics of the accident and ascertain any liability.
    Fifteen tour operators are allowed to accompany groups of nine swimmers at a time near the whales, with the recommendation to stay at least 15 meters from the animals.
   The activity has been allowed since 2016 and has so far involved around 10,000 participants without any accidents. Western Australia is home to the largest population known to live, generally considered harmless to humans despite their size. The region is currently closed to international tourism as a containment measure to the spread of coronavirus. (HANDLE).