Overview
- A 61-foot adult female fin whale was discovered draped over the bulbous bow of a cruise ship when it arrived in Seward on Friday, June 19, and was towed to a nearby beach for examination.
- NOAA Fisheries and the Alaska SeaLife Center began a necropsy that produced initial findings the whale was pregnant while investigators from NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement opened a formal probe and set up a 24-hour tip line.
- Royal Caribbean acknowledged the incident, said the ship notified authorities, and confirmed it is cooperating while officials await necropsy results to determine whether a ship strike occurred or the whale was already dead.
- Authorities warned the public to stay away from the necropsy site for safety and sample-collection reasons and reminded people that it is illegal to take any whale tissue or parts without authorization.
- Conservation groups and scientists point to vessel strikes as a leading current threat to fin whales and say this case will likely intensify demands for measures such as mandatory speed limits and routing changes in whale hotspots.