Endangered whale likely killed by giant cruise ship MSC Meraviglia en route to NYC

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From Katherine Donlevy

A massive cruise ship likely struck and killed an endangered whale before entering the East River Saturday morning — and there’s no telling how long the dead mammal was dragged off the boat before it was discovered, according to marine experts.

The 44-foot-long adult female sei whale was found when the MSC Meraviglia docked in Brooklyn Harbor, an MSC Cruises spokesperson confirmed.

The unfortunate whale was removed from the 19-deck vessel on Tuesday and towed to Sandy Hook, New Jersey, for an autopsy, said Andrea Gomez, fisheries spokeswoman for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – but stressed it was too early to tell , whether it was a whale or not dead before impact.

However, Rob DiGiovanni, the founder and chief scientist of the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, told The Post that it was more than likely that the “interaction with the ship contributed to her death.”

“It looks like she was eating,” DiGiovanni said, indicating that it was a healthy whale with relatively fresh food in its stomach.

The massive Meraviglia — the same ship that rescued 24 distressed Cuban migrants from a boat off the coast of Florida last year — weighs 171,600 gigatons and stands 214 feet tall.

When and where the whale was struck remains a mystery, but sei whales are typically observed in deeper waters far from shore, according to NOAA.

They are one of the largest whale species and are internationally protected. Ship attacks are considered one of the biggest threats to the dwindling population.

The body was “pretty decomposed,” DiGiovanni revealed, but said that did not help experts determine a timeline for her death.

The temperature of the water, especially on the higher side, can speed up the decomposition process by days.

According to DiGiovanni, the tragic event is unfortunately not uncommon, but it is almost impossible to track exactly how often it occurs because the whales can sink to the ocean floor after hitting the ocean floor.

Ship staff or guests may not even notice a striking sight, considering how large cruise ships are, making even the world’s largest mammal look like an ant.

Such attacks could be contributing to the unusual mortuary event in the New York Bight Apex – the waters from Fire Island to Manasquan Inlet in New Jersey.

Starting in 2016, the number of humpback, Mackey and North Atlantic right whale deaths skyrocketed, from one to three per year to 12 to 14 per year, DiGiovanni said.

The shocking wave of deaths is a tragic side effect of whales flocking to the Big Apple’s waters in greater numbers every year, creating a Catch-22 situation.

While some stay year-round, the number of whales enjoying the East River increases as spring begins.

“We are now seeing an increase in whale sightings, so we urge boaters to exercise caution in the waters,” DiGiovanni said, encouraging boat captains to keep the “slow down: kids play” mentality in mind when out on the open sea .

NOAA reiterated this sentiment: “Sailors operating along the U.S. East Coast are encouraged to slow their vessels, remain vigilant, and report any sightings of right whales or dead, injured, or entangled whales.”