Whale found on cruise ship bow in Alaska for second time since June

A dead fin whale was found on the bow of a cruise ship in Sitka, Alaska, for the second time since June, according to NOAA Fisheries. The agency said its Alaska Marine Mammal Stranding Network team was responding to assess what happened and determine next steps, after receiving notice on Sept. 17. NOAA did not name the cruise ship involved or provide additional details yet. The incident follows another fin whale case: a Royal Caribbean Group cruise ship arrived in Seward, Alaska in June with a dead fin whale on its bow. A preliminary necropsy then showed blunt force trauma to the jaw, spine, and ribs consistent with a vessel strike.