Cruise ship arrives in New York City harbor with dead whale on bow | new York

A cruise ship has sailed into New York City Harbor with a gruesome cargo in the shape of a giant, dead whale sprawled across the bow.

According to local US media reports, the incident occurred on Saturday and is seen by some as further evidence of the unfortunate impact of large ships on sea life.

The 44-foot-long whale oak was an endangered sei whale and was caught on the bow of the ship as it arrived in Brooklyn Harbor, according to Andrea Gomez, fisheries spokeswoman for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The boat involved was the Meraviglia, which docked in New York before heading to ports in New England and Canada. It is owned by Geneva-based MSC Cruises.

“We immediately notified the relevant authorities, who are now conducting an investigation into the whale,” cruise line officials said in a statement, adding that the company has put regulations in place to avoid collisions with whales and other animals at sea.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of all marine life,” the statement said.

The whale will now undergo a necropsy to determine how it died, particularly whether it was already dead when it was hit by the cruise ship. Sei whales are among the largest whales and are protected.