BARNEGAT BAY, NJ — It happened on Saturday when a mike whale slammed into a boat in the Barnegat Inlet, throwing one person overboard and nearly capsizing before the whale washed up dead hours later in nearby Double Creek Channel.
The collision, which was captured on video, shows a vessel in the inlet before being struck by the whale.
The impact sent one passenger flying into the water and left the boat rocking violently. That individual was quickly rescued and did not suffer serious injuries.
Two days later, on Monday, marine biologists from the Marine Mammal Stranding Center (MMSC), with help from the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society and Cornell University, conducted a necropsy on the whale, a 26-foot, adult female Minke. The whale’s body was discovered floating in Barnegat Bay, not far from the site of the collision.
Preliminary findings revealed the whale was in poor condition before the impact.
It was significantly underweight, with lesions in the stomach, blood in the lungs, and very little food in its digestive system.
However, additional trauma found on the dorsal side of the whale—consistent with blunt force injuries—from the crash with the boat.
Superficial cuts and deep bruising were also noted, aligning with injuries from vessel strikes. The whale was buried on the beach after the examination.
Officials collected tissue and biological samples for further testing, which will be analyzed by a pathologist.
The MMSC acknowledged the support of numerous agencies involved in both the recovery and necropsy, including the NJ State Marine Police, U.S. Coast Guard, NOAA, and local search and rescue teams.
Further analysis of the necropsy samples and a final determination of cause of death are pending.
Key Points
- A Minke whale was struck by a boat in Barnegat Inlet on Saturday, throwing a person overboard
- The whale was found dead hours later and showed signs of both trauma and starvation
- A necropsy confirmed blunt force injuries, and lab results are still pending