Whale Dies At Jersey Shore After Colliding With Boat, Officials Say

A 20-foot Minke whale died aft colliding pinch a centrifugal vessel astatine nan Jersey Shore, officials said. The unit of nan collision sent a vessel rider into nan water.

A boater successful Barnegat Bay successful Long Beach Island, New Jersey, reported Saturday day that a vessel had struck a whale successful nan bay, the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, aliases MMSC, said connected Facebook. Sea Tow, which was called successful erstwhile nan whale was spotted successful nan bay, reported to MMSC that nan whale was dead.

The collision caused nan vessel to almost capsize and a rider to autumn overboard, MMSC said. There was nary accusation connected nan person's information but they did not look to beryllium injured.

About an hr earlier nan crash, nan NJ State Police Marine Unit notified MMSC that location was a whale successful nan bay.

Officials attempted to observe nan whale, which, aft nan hit, was resting successful shallow h2o connected a sandbar, but could not get person than 30 yards owed to nan tides, MMSC said.

Witness video from nan scene that was verified by NBC News shows a whale swimming nether a centrifugal vessel earlier it tips nan alloy onto its side. A personification tin beryllium seen falling retired of nan boat.

Other videos posted by nan witnesser show a whale swimming astir nan shallow waters and violently thrashing its tail.

Charlie Nunn, nan boat's captain, told NBC Philadelphia that this was a freak mishap and was not caused by nan boaters antagonizing nan whale. He said he believes they were successful nan area earlier nan whale swam through.

He said nan whale was apt anxious and successful fight-or-flight mode, causing nan forceful crash.

"They're not expected to beryllium successful 3 feet of water," Nunn told NBC Philadelphia. "They support bumping into something, it's astir apt fight-or-flight for nan mediocre thing."

The whale will beryllium towed to a adjacent authorities parkland connected Monday and will acquisition a necropsy, which could return respective hours to complete, MMSC said.

The nonprofit warned boaters to return be aware successful nan area northbound of Double Creek Channel successful Barnegat Bay and to enactment astatine slightest 150 feet distant from nan whale carcass.