Alaska: Second Endangered Whale Found After Cruise Ship Collision

For the second time this year, an endangered whale has been found dead on the bow of a cruise ship in Alaska.

The incident happened on the Norwegian Joy of the Norwegian Cruise Line, and an investigation into the cause of death is being conducted by the NOAA Fisheries Office of Law Enforcement.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said that it was an adult male which was 57.5 feet long. Attempts were made to tow the carcass to a beach after the information of its death was received; however, it couldn’t be beached as it died recently and would not float.

As of now, NOAA is collaborating with the Alaska Marine Mammal Stranding Network to ascertain if a necropsy can be done to find the exact cause of death, though the next steps depend on the weather. The public has been advised by the agencies to maintain distance from the whale for their safety.

This is not the first such incident this year. In June, 2026, a pregnant whale was discovered dead on the bow of the Ovation of the Seas, owned by Royal Caribbean.

The deaths have been called tragic and heartbreaking by environmental groups and those at the Centre for Biological Diversity. Cooper Freeman, the Director of the Centre for Biological Diversity, said people go to Alaska to see its majestic wildlife, but they do not want the cruise ships to kill the species they work hard to protect.

After the accident in June, which killed the 61-foot female whale, environmental groups urged leaders to bring speed limits in regions which have a massive whale population.

Freeman added that 10 knots or less is the speed limit in the region for cruise ships to prevent whale deaths. If a whale hits the ship while sailing at this speed, it would not die due to the impact. It remains unknown how fast the Norwegian cruise vessel was sailing when the accident occurred.