- The dead whale was on the MSC Meraviglia as it approached Brooklyn Harbor
- A NOAA spokesperson said the incident is under investigation
This is the shocking moment a cruise ship arrives in New York City with a dead, endangered 45-foot whale in its bow.
MSC Cruises confirmed that the dead whale was discovered on Saturday on the bow of the MSC Meraviglia as it approached Brooklyn Harbor before sailing to New England and Canada.
The endangered sei whale — one of the largest whale species internationally protected — is typically found in deeper waters far from the coastline, Andrea Gomez, spokesperson for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, told DailyMail.com.
It remains unclear at this time whether the whale was already dead when it was struck by the ship. Gomez said they won’t know until they get the necropsy results back, which could take several weeks to months.
A necropsy was performed Tuesday by the nonprofit Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, which revealed the whale was an adult female.
The endangered whale, identified as a sei whale, was seen trapped in the bow of the ship. Sei whales are typically sighted in deeper waters, far from the coastline
The whale has been identified as an adult female measuring 43 feet in length. It remains unclear at this time whether the ship struck the whale or whether the whale has already died
The nonprofit said the autopsy examination showed the whale’s right fin had broken bones and there was evidence of tissue trauma along the right scapula area.
The whale was moved and towed to shore at Sandy Hook, New Jersey, to gain better access to heavy equipment and resources to conduct a necropsy, NOAA said.
The nonprofit said the necropsy examination revealed that the whale’s right fin had broken bones and there was evidence of tissue trauma along the right scapula area.
The whale’s gastrointestinal tract was full of food. Samples were taken from most other organs, including for biotoxin analysis and other life history studies.
They said samples had been collected and will be sent for histopathological analysis. The tissue and bone samples collected will help biologists determine whether the blood vessel interaction occurred before or after slaughter, the administration said.
According to NOAA, 22 large whales were reported with suspected ship strike injuries in New York and New Jersey between 2019 and 2023.
“There are no records from our region of any other animal being sighted on the bow of a ship,” they said. “But in 2021, one fin whale was sighted in Newark Harbor, which is suspected to be the case because that is an unusual location for that animal. Again, not confirmed or observed.”
The cruise ship MSC Meraviglia will leave New York Harbor in December 2023
A spokesperson for MCS Cruises said in a statement that they have extensive measures in place to help prevent collisions, such as training all of our deck officers with the Ocean Research & Conservation Association (ORCA).
We were “deeply saddened by the loss of all marine life,” they said. “We follow regulations designed to protect whales and other marine life.”
‘This includes changing routes in certain regions to avoid whales and we will continue to review and update our procedures with our partners and authorities.
NOAA said that “mariners operating along the U.S. East Coast are encouraged to reduce vessel speed, remain alert, and report any sightings of whales or dead, injured or entangled whales.”
The Atlantic Marine Conservation Society (AMSEAS) is leading the charge and is one of the federally authorized marine mammal response organizations based in New York.
Their local partners include the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, New Jersey Stranding Partner, Army Corps of Engineers, National Park Service, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Monmouth County Department or Public Works and Engineering, and Sea Bright Fire Rescue Squad.