Dead endangered whale discovered on bow of cruise ship in Seward

Image of fin whale in Seward following its discovery on a cruise ship's bulbous bow on Friday, June 19, 2026. (Photo shared by NOAA Fisheries Alaska on Facebook)

A cruise ship arrived at a dock in Seward, Alaska, with a dead endangered fin whale "on top of the ship’s bulbous bow," the National Marine Fisheries Service said June 21.

The ship reached the port on June 19 with a 61-foot female fin whale on its bow, according to NOAA Fisheries Alaska. A local company towed the whale to a nearby beach, where a team prepared for a necropsy – an animal autopsy – to determine how the whale died.

“We are working with the Alaska SeaLife Center to perform a necropsy on the 61-foot, adult female fin whale to determine the cause of death,” NOAA Fisheries said in a statement. “Initial findings indicate the whale was pregnant.”…(Read full story)