Woman hit by dolphin 'one in a million shot'

Woman hit by dolphin 'one in a million shot'
The Marlborough Express | Wednesday, 27 December 2006

A woman's injuries caused by a flying dolphin have been described as "a one
in a million shot" by Marlborough dolphin encounter operators.

A 27-year-old woman was hit by the leaping dolphin while watching the
animals from the bow of a runabout off Slipper Island, east of the
Coromandel Peninsula.

The woman was flown to Auckland Hospital's intensive car unit in a serious
condition.

The dolphin swam off unharmed.

Another woman on the boat was also hit by the dolphin and suffered minor
cuts and bruises when she went through the boat's windscreen.

Kaikoura's Dolphin Encounter general manager Dennis Buurman said during the
17 seasons Dolphin Encounter had operated there had only been one misjudging
dolphin.

In the mid-90s an acrobatic dusky dolphin ended up in front of the boat, but
managed to miss onlookers.

With the help of people on board the boat the acrobatic dolphin was safely
delivered back into the water.

"It gave everyone a fright."

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