Authorities in Sitka, Alaska, found a 57.5-foot endangered fin whale on the bulbous bow of a cruise ship and towed it to a nearby beach, where it remains secured because the carcass is not yet buoyant. NOAA Fisheries is coordinating with the Alaska Marine Mammal Stranding Network to determine whether a necropsy can be performed to establish cause of death. The NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement is investigating; anyone with information should call (800) 853-1964.
57.5-Foot Endangered Fin Whale Found on Cruise Ship Bow in Sitka — Towed to Shore, NOAA Investigating
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A 57.5-foot endangered fin whale was discovered atop the bulbous bow of a cruise ship as it docked in Sitka, Alaska, on Thursday. A local towing company moved the carcass toward a nearby beach, and officials have secured the animal on the shoreline while they determine next steps.
What Officials Are Doing
NOAA Fisheries Alaska said the whale had died recently and has not yet become buoyant, which is why it remains secured to the beach. The agency is coordinating with the Alaska Marine Mammal Stranding Network to assess whether a necropsy can be performed to determine the cause of death.
NOAA reported the animal measured 57.5 feet in length. Fin whales are the second-largest whale species and are listed as endangered under U.S. law.
Investigation and Public Safety
The NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement has opened an investigation into the whale's death and is urging anyone with information to contact their tip line at (800) 853-1964. Authorities have asked the public to maintain a safe distance from the carcass for both public safety and the integrity of any potential investigation or necropsy.
Context
This is the second incident this year in Alaska in which a fin whale was found dead on a cruise ship's bow. In June, a pregnant 61-foot fin whale was discovered on the bow of a ship arriving in Seward, Alaska; that animal was believed to have died from a vessel strike.
According to NOAA Fisheries, fin whales occur in all the world's oceans but are most common in deep, offshore waters in temperate to polar latitudes. They are among the whale species most vulnerable to vessel strikes, ranked just behind the North Atlantic right whale in risk.
Officials continue to assess the situation and will provide updates as they determine whether a necropsy is possible and as the investigation proceeds.
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