Whale collision in Barnegat Bay causes passenger to be ejected from boat, officials report
A tragic incident occurred on Saturday afternoon in Ocean County, New Jersey where a whale was hit by a boat in the Barnegat Bay. The Marine Mammal Stranding Center received a call from the New Jersey State Police Marine Unit after they noticed the whale near the inlet around 2:45 p.m. Responding quickly, MMSC coordinated with the U.S Coast Guard and Sea Tow, while a stranding coordinator was dispatched to the location. Sadly, less than an hour later, a boater reported that their vessel had collided with the whale, causing the boat to nearly capsize and a passenger to fall overboard. Fortunately, the passenger managed to re-enter the boat and is expected to be fine. Sea Tow confirmed the whale's passing. The MMSC team, along with New Jersey Fish and Wildlife Conservation officers, approached the whale which was resting on a shallow sandbar outside the channel. Identified as a Minke whale measuring about 20 feet long, the teams were unable to examine it further due to tidal conditions. Plans are in motion to transport the whale to Island Beach State Park for a necropsy when conditions improve on Monday. Boaters are urged to be cautious in the area and maintain a distance of at least 150 feet from the whale carcass for safety. Any sightings should be reported to the MMSC hotline at (609) 266-0538.
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