A cruise ship arrived in Seward on Friday with a dead fin whale attached to its bow, according to a statement from NOAA Fisheries.
An initial investigation found the 61-foot adult whale was pregnant, the statement said. Fin whales are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act.
Vessel strikes are a major threat to fin whales, according to NOAA Fisheries.
The only scheduled cruise ship in Seward on Friday was Ovation of the Seas, operated by Royal Caribbean Group. The 14-deck vessel can hold over 4,000 passengers.
NOAA declined an interview request, citing an active investigation. In a statement, Royal Caribbean said the ship immediately reported the incident to proper authorities.
"We are saddened to hear that one of our ships struck a whale while on its way to Seward. We take any impact to marine ecosystems very seriously," the statement said. "We are cooperating fully with NOAA and are awaiting the necropsy results.”
The incident is being investigated by the NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement, according to the statement. The agency is working with the Alaska SeaLife Center in Seward to perform a necropsy to determine the animal’s cause of death.
The public is asked to stay off the beach near the necropsy site while officials collect samples.
Fin whales are one of the largest animals on earth, second only to the blue whale. The animals weigh between 40 and 80 tons, are up to 85 feet long and can live to be up to 90 years old.
Whale strikes are somewhat common in Alaska, causing severe and sometimes fatal injuries.
This summer, MSC Cruises, an international cruise line, will host a marine mammal observer as it sails from Seattle through the Inside Passage, in an effort to answer longstanding fundamental questions about how ships can avoid hitting whales.
A decade ago, a Holland America vessel arrived in the Resurrection Bay town with a dead fin whale on its bow. In November 2024, a fin whale the size of a school bus washed up along Anchorage’s busy Tony Knowles Coastal Trail.
Officials are asking anyone with information about the incident to call the 24-hour enforcement hotline at 1-800-853-1964.
Editors Note: This story has been updated with a statement from Royal Caribbean.
