Conservationists are urging Royal Caribbean and other cruise operators to slow ships in known whale habitats after a 61-foot pregnant fin whale was found dead on the bow of the Ovation of the Seas in Seward, Alaska. NOAA's preliminary necropsy found blunt force trauma consistent with a vessel strike, though final cause awaits laboratory tests that could take months. The Center for Biological Diversity has called for a 10-knot speed policy in whale areas; Royal Caribbean says it is cooperating with investigators.
Conservationists Demand Slower Ship Speeds After Pregnant Fin Whale Found Dead On Cruise Ship Bow
Royal Caribbean's' Ovation of the Seas'.Credit: Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Stock Images
A 61-foot pregnant fin whale was discovered dead on the bow of Royal Caribbean's Ovation of the Seas after the ship arrived in Seward, Alaska, on June 19. The carcass was visible when the vessel docked, prompting an immediate response from federal investigators and conservation groups.
Preliminary Findings
NOAA Fisheries–Alaska released preliminary necropsy findings that reported blunt force trauma to the whale's jaw, spine and ribs, injuries consistent with a vessel strike. An official cause of death remains pending while laboratory testing of collected samples continues; NOAA said those analyses could take months.
Conservation Response
A fin whale.Credit: Alexis Rosenfeld/Getty Stock Images
On June 24, the Center for Biological Diversity sent a letter urging Royal Caribbean to adopt a policy limiting ship speeds to 10 knots (about 11 mph) or less when transiting known whale habitat. Cooper Freeman, the center's Alaska director, called the loss of a pregnant female 'a devastating setback' for the population and demanded accountability and immediate measures from the cruise line.
'I'm infuriated that this supersized cruise ship hit an endangered whale in such a horrific way,' said Cooper Freeman of the Center for Biological Diversity. 'Royal Caribbean must be held accountable and take immediate action to avoid this happening again.'
Industry And Agency Statements
Royal Caribbean acknowledged the incident in a statement shared with PEOPLE, saying the company 'is saddened to hear that one of our ships struck a whale' and that it 'immediately reported the incident to the proper authorities' and is cooperating fully with NOAA while awaiting necropsy results.
NOAA officials also said plans are underway to tow the carcass back out to sea, where it is expected to sink and provide nourishment for deep-sea organisms.
A fin whale.Credit: Getty Stock Images
Context And Next Steps
Fin whales are protected under the Endangered Species Act and considered depleted under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. NOAA has noted that, after the North Atlantic right whale, fin whales are among the species most vulnerable to vessel strikes. Advocates say mandatory or voluntary speed limits, improved monitoring and greater transparency about vessel operations in whale hotspots could reduce future collisions.
What Remains Unclear
Investigators have not yet confirmed whether the ship's speed or the crew's awareness of nearby whales contributed to the collision. Federal testing of tissue samples is ongoing.
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