Image for representation purposes only For the second time this year, an endangered whale has been found dead on the bow of a cruise ship in Alaska.
The incident happened on the Norwegian Joy of the Norwegian Cruise Line, and an investigation into the cause of death is being conducted by the NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said that it was an adult male which was 57.5 feet long. Attempts were made to tow the carcass to a beach after the information of its death was received; however, it couldn’t be beached as it died recently and would not float.
As of now, NOAA is collaborating with the Alaska Marine Mammal Stranding Network to ascertain if a necropsy can be done to find the exact cause of death, though the next steps depend on the weather. The public has been advised by the agencies to maintain distance from the whale for their safety.
This is not the first such incident this year. In June, 2026, a pregnant whale was discovered dead on the bow of the Ovation of the Seas, owned by Royal Caribbean.
The deaths have been called tragic and heartbreaking by environmental groups and those at the Centre for Biological Diver...