Authorities are investigating after a dead whale was found stuck in the bow of an MSC cruise ship.
The whale was discovered on Saturday as the MSC Meraviglia approached the port of Brooklyn, New York. “We immediately notified the appropriate authorities and are currently testing the whale,” a spokesperson for the line told USA TODAY in an emailed statement.
The 44-foot sei whale was towed to the shores of Sandy Hook, New Jersey, for an autopsy, said Andrea Gomez, a fisheries spokeswoman for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). An examination on Tuesday found a fracture in his right flipper and “evidence of tissue trauma along the right scapula area.” My stomach and intestines were also full of food.
The Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, which is leading the case, said in a Facebook post that the whale was an adult female.
“Most of the other organs were sampled, including biotoxin analysis and other life history studies,” Gomez said in an emailed statement. “Samples will be collected and sent for histopathological analysis. The collected tissue and bone samples will help biologists determine whether the vascular interaction occurred post-mortem.”
NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement is investigating the incident. Gomez pointed out that sei whales are endangered and are usually found in deep water, far from the coast.
An MSC spokesperson added: “We are deeply saddened by the loss of marine life.” “We have comprehensive measures in place to avoid collisions, including training all deck personnel with the Ocean Research and Conservation Association (ORCA), and we have implemented comprehensive measures designed to protect whales and other marine life. This includes modifying itineraries in certain areas to avoid whales, and we will continue to work with partners and authorities to evaluate and update our procedures. .”
Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. Please contact us at ndiller@usatoday.com.
