Cruise Ship Arrives In NYC With A 44-Foot Dead Whale Caught On Its Bow

The arrival of the cruise liner MSC Meraviglia at Brooklyn, New York, on Saturday was surrounded by a pall of grief. A horrifying find was in store: a 44-foot critically endangered sei whale stuck in the bow of the ship.

After confirming the whale’s identity, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) concluded that it was a mature female. After a necropsy by the nonprofit Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, wounds to the whale’s right shoulder blade and a fractured flipper were discovered. On the other hand, the fact that food was present in the whale’s stomach clouds the cause of death. Hopefully, more investigation will show if the ship collision happened before or after the whale died.

In a statement, MSC Cruises expressed their sincere regret for the event and reaffirmed their dedication to abiding by laws intended to save marine life. In order to reduce the chance of collisions, the business even suggested changing itineraries in areas with large whale populations.

This tragic incident serves as a clear reminder of the continuous risks that whales in the Eastern Seaboard are facing. A right whale calf from the North Atlantic sadly perished just last month after being hit by a boat. A second right whale perished in a different ship collision with a similar outcome.

Environmental organizations demand more strict rules on fishing plus shipping industry to offer better protection to these defenseless beasts. A proposal in Massachusetts that suggested speed limits for ferries going to Cape Cod and the Islands has sparked off a hot argument; conservationists see it as vital while ferry companies argue it would disrupt their services, claiming their captains have never seen right whales during their operations.

These are some questions that emerge from this unfortunate event: if there were stricter regulations for commercial vessels, would this tragedy have been avoided? Should shipping lanes be moved so they do not cross paths with endangered whales? Hopefully the ongoing investigation into why the whale died will give us information on these issues and more protection methods for these grand creatures in the future.