Cruise Ship Arrives in Brooklyn Port with Whale Lodged on Bow

A cruise ship sailed to the Port of Brooklyn in Red Hook on Saturday with a 44-foot endangered whale on its bow.

“We can confirm with deep regret that on Saturday, a whale was discovered on the bow of our ship,” said a statement from a MSC Cruises spokesperson, the operator of the ship MSC Meraviglia.

The whale, identified by the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society as a 44-foot, mature female Sei whale, was taken to Sandy Hook, N.J. earlier this week for an necropsy.

Sei whales are endangered, and are typically observed in deeper waters far from the coastline, the organization said via Facebook. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association’s Office of Law Enforcement is investigating this incident, the post also said.

The examination will determine whether the whale died before or after it interacted with the cruise ship, the organization said.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of any marine life. We have comprehensive measures in place to help avoid collisions, such as training all our deck officers with the Ocean Research & Conservation Association (ORCA) and we follow regulations designed to protect whales and other marine life,” the statement from MSC Cruises also said. “This includes altering itineraries in certain regions to avoid whales and we will continue to evaluate and update our procedures with our partners and the authorities.”