Endangered 44-foot whale died in collision with giant cruise ship and was towed into New York Harbor

NEW DELHI: An endangered whale measuring 44 feet long died after it was likely driven into the East River by a 19-deck cruise ship in Brooklyn Harbor on Saturday morning, and it is impossible to determine how long The deceased mammal was towed past the boat before it was found, marine experts said.

According to a New York Post report, the adult female sei whale was found when the MSC Meraviglia docked in port, an MSC Cruises spokesperson confirmed. The colossal Meraviglia, a ship that came to the aid of 24 Cuban migrants in distress off the coast of Florida last year, has an impressive gross tonnage of 171,600 and a towering height of 214 feet.

Andrea Gomez, fisheries spokeswoman for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), said the endangered whale was removed from the ship on Tuesday and transported to Sandy Hook, New Jersey, for a necropsy. It is still too early to determine whether the whale was already dead before the impact.

Atlantic Marine Conservation Society founder and chief scientist Rob DiGiovanni said it was more than likely that “interaction with the ship contributed to her death.”

“It looks like she was eating,” DiGiovanni added, indicating that it was a healthy whale with relatively fresh food in its stomach, the New York Post reported.

The exact time and location of the whale collision remain unknown. However, according to NOAA, sei whales are typically found in deeper waters, far from shore.

DiGiovanni revealed that the whale’s body was “pretty decomposed,” making it difficult for experts to determine the exact time of its death. The decomposition process of a whale carcass can be accelerated by several days if the water temperature is higher than usual.

According to DiGiovanni, the occurrence of whales being hit by ships is not uncommon, but it is difficult to determine the frequency of such incidents because the whales can sink to the ocean floor after being hit. Because of the size of cruise ships, it can be difficult for staff or guests to notice when a whale has been hit, making even the world’s largest mammal look like an ant.

These ship strikes may be contributing to the unusual mortality event in the New York Bight Apex, which includes waters from Fire Island to Manasquan Inlet in New Jersey.

Since 2016, deaths from humpback, Mackey and North Atlantic right whales have increased from one to three per year to 12 to 14 per year, DiGiovanni added.

The increase in whale deaths is an unfortunate consequence of the increasing number of whales visiting the waters near New York City each year. While some whales remain in the area year-round, the East River population increases during the spring months.

DiGiovanni urges boaters to exercise caution in the waters, stating, “We’re seeing more and more whale sightings now, so we’re urging boaters to exercise caution in the waters.” He encourages boat captains to keep that mentality when navigating the open sea “Slowly: children play” should be taken into account.

NOAA said: “Mariners operating along the U.S. East Coast are encouraged to slow their vessel speeds, remain vigilant and report any sightings of right whales or dead, injured or entangled whales.”

Sei whales are one of the largest whale species and are internationally protected. Ship attacks represent one of the biggest threats to their population decline.