Officials are expected to perform a necropsy Monday on a 20-foot whale that died after a collision with a boat that sent a passenger overboard.
A collision between a boat and a 20-foot minke whale in Barnegat Bay has sparked an investigation by the Marine Mammal Stranding Center. The incident, which occurred near the inlet just north of Long Beach Island, has drawn national attention as videos of the encounter circulate widely.
The collision happened yesterday afternoon around 3:40 p.m. in Barnegat Bay. The Marine Mammal Stranding Center received the first call about the whale in the bay at 2:45 p.m., followed by a report of the collision nearly an hour later. The whale died around 5 p.m., just before the center's team arrived, said Jay Pagel, training coordinator with the center.Cell phone video captured the moment the boat and whale collided, nearly capsizing the boat and sending a passenger on the back of the boat into the water. The whale appears to swim away. The exact cause of the whale's death remains unclear. Officials say it's possible that an underlying medical issue may have contributed to why the whale ended up in a shallow bay, as the specifies tends to spend most of their time offshore. A necropsy is scheduled for Monday to help determine the cause."We had some mixed reports, some were saying the animal struck the vessels and some others were stating just the opposite that the vessels struck the animal," Jay Pagel said. "Although the video seemed to support the animal collided with the boat." Pagel also emphasized the importance of maintaining a safe distance from marine life while boating. "If you happen to come across an animal on the water and you happen to be in the area try not to approach them within 150 feet. If they do approach you it’s best to drop it into neutral until the animal passes by," Pagel said.The whale's remains will be towed to a nearby state park tomorrow morning for a necropsy. Preliminary findings are expected soon, but final results could take weeks or months as test results are processed. Meanwhile, a law enforcement investigation is also underway to gather more details about the incident.
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