Additional Coverage:
- Whale dead, passenger thrown overboard after boat collision in Barnegat Bay, New Jersey (cbsnews.com)
Tragedy in Barnegat Bay as Boat Strike Kills Whale
A whale has died after a collision with a boat in New Jersey’s Barnegat Bay on Saturday afternoon. The incident occurred near the inlet around 2:45 p.m.
The Marine Mammal Stranding Center (MMSC) was alerted by the New Jersey State Police Marine Unit and quickly coordinated a response with the U.S. Coast Guard, the Marine Unit, and Sea Tow.
Shortly after the initial sighting, a boat struck the whale. The impact nearly capsized the vessel and threw a passenger overboard.
Fortunately, the passenger is reportedly unharmed. Sea Tow, already on scene observing the whale, confirmed the animal had died.
An MMSC stranding coordinator and New Jersey Fish and Wildlife Conservation officers reached the whale, a 20-foot Minke, stranded on a shallow sandbar. Due to challenging tidal conditions, a full examination wasn’t possible at the time.
The whale will be towed to a nearby state park for a necropsy on Monday morning when conditions allow for safe retrieval with the assistance of Sea Tow. The procedure is expected to last several hours.
Boaters are urged to exercise extreme caution in the area north of Double Creek Channel and maintain a safe distance of at least 150 feet from the whale carcass. Any sightings should be reported to the MMSC hotline.