A heartbreaking boating accident unfolded Saturday afternoon in Ocean County, New Jersey, when a vessel collided with a whale in Barnegat Bay, leaving the whale dead and a passenger thrown into the water.
The Marine Mammal Stranding Center (MMSC) reported that the incident occurred around 2:45 p.m. near the inlet. The New Jersey State Police Marine Unit initially spotted the whale and immediately notified the MMSC, which coordinated with the U.S. Coast Guard, NJ Fish & Wildlife officers, and Sea Tow crews.
Moments later, chaos struck when a boater reported a direct hit with the whale. The impact nearly capsized the boat, sending one passenger overboard. Fortunately, that individual survived and is reported to be okay.
Sea Tow, which had remained in the area to monitor the situation, later confirmed the whale had died. The animal, identified as a 20-foot Minke whale, was found lifeless on a shallow sandbar just outside the boating channel.
Due to the low tide and difficult terrain, responders could only get within 30 yards of the carcass. Officials say the whale will remain on-site until Monday, when crews equipped with heavy machinery will attempt to move it to a New Jersey state park for a full necropsy.
The postmortem examination is expected to take several hours and will provide more insight into the whale’s injuries and cause of death.
Authorities are urging boaters to exercise extreme caution near the north end of Double Creek Channel and to keep at least 150 feet away from the whale’s body to avoid further accidents.
