Gray Whale Hit By State Ferry Near Seattle

SEATTLE, WA — A gray whale was hit by a Bainbridge Island-bound state ferry Tuesday night, and officials were still searching for the injured or dead animal as of Wednesday morning, according to reports.

The incident happened just after the ferry left Seattle at around 8:15 p.m., according to reports. Passengers saw the whale surface just a few feet in front of the ferry before it was hit. The ferry continued on to its destination and was apparently not damaged, according to reports.

The incident comes amid a grim time for gray whale deaths. At least 18 whales have been found dead in Washington so far in 2019, with six in May alone, according to Crosscut.

The Coast Guard and NOAA are searching for the whale. Some witnesses reported seeing a whale surrounded by birds in Elliott Bay near Pier 66, according to KIRO 7.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/gray-whale-hit-by-state-ferry-near-seattle/ar-AAC5FtI

A ferry coming from Seattle to Bainbridge Island hit a gray whale Tuesday evening in Elliott Bay, officials said.

After 8:15 p.m., officials with Washington State Ferries said a whale had breached about five feet off the bow. It appeared the ferry Wenatchee hit the whale. Officials said the whale then went back down.

People on the ferry reported seeing the incident. One witness said they saw the whale spouting blood and that it appeared it had a fatal wound, but the whale’s condition is not known.

KIRO 7 spoke with another viewer early Wednesday about what he saw.

“My wife and I, we were watching sunset around 8:20 p.m. or so, and she spotted this flock of birds circling in the middle of the Sound, and I said, ‘What do you see? Is it a whale?’ and she said, ‘I don’t know what I see,'” said David Crochet. “So, I walked over — followed her — and I noticed the water spouts, took out my phone and started filming. (I) didn’t realize the whale had been hit at that point.”

https://mynorthwest.com/1398617/ferry-hits-gray-whale-seattle/

Sounds like the whale surfaced pretty closely before the boat could slow down. I remember seeing a gray whale while taking the San Juan Islands Ferry. After pointing it over intercom the captain said they were required to slow down whenever there was a whale close by.