A Dramatic Encounter Between a Boat and a Minke Whale in New Jersey
A shocking video has captured the moment a boat collided with a minke whale in a New Jersey bay, leading to the animal’s death. The incident took place in Barnegat Bay on a Saturday afternoon, around 2:45 p.m., when a 20-foot minke whale was first spotted. This prompted the Jersey State Police Marine Unit to notify officials from the Marine Mammal Stranding Center.
Within an hour of the initial report, a boater called in to say that their vessel had struck the whale, causing the boat to nearly flip over and a sailor to fall into the water. The footage shows the boat rocking violently as the whale splashed around, seemingly entangled with the vessel.
Sea Tow, a nationwide water service company, remained at the scene after the collision and confirmed that the whale died shortly afterward. Sheila Dean, director of the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, told NJ Advance Media that the whale was still visible in the bay that evening.
“We know the whale has died. We’re not really sure why, but we’re going to find that out,” Dean said. She explained that resources need to be coordinated to remove the dead animal from the water for a necropsy, which is essentially a post-mortem examination.
In the now-viral clip, the whale was seen near the boat. As it turned the corner of the vessel, it caused the boat to tip over, sending a passenger wearing a blue shirt and white hat into the water. Kim Mancini, a local resident who recorded the incident, exclaimed, “Oh my God, they’re going over!” as the whale attempted to swim away from the boat.
“Shut the motor off! Shut the motor off!” a man was heard shouting as the whale thrashed in the water. The sailor who fell over was later seen in the water before climbing back onto the boat. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
While the whale swam away slowly, it appeared to be injured. Although the exact cause of death remains undetermined, Dean believes the shallow water may have contributed to the situation. She reviewed the footage and noted that the whale was in very shallow water, with people in boats surrounding it.
“I don’t know how they even got where the whale was because it was so shallow,” Dean said. She also speculated that the whale might have been cut by the boat, emphasizing that the vessel should never have gotten that close and should have turned off its motor when the whale was nearby.
After the whale died, officers from the New Jersey Fish and Wildlife Conservation boarded their own boat to inspect the animal. The whale was later found on a sandbar in shallow water outside the channel. According to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, they were able to approach within 30 yards of the whale, but due to tidal conditions, they could not safely access the sandbar for further examination.
Due to the availability of equipment needed to tow the whale out of the water, officials stated that the animal will likely be transported on Monday morning. The necropsy is expected to take several hours to complete.
Mancini shared her account of the event, saying, “The whale had gone under our boat and then it went under the other boat and I took a video.” She emphasized the importance of staying calm if a whale approaches, advising that engines should be turned off and the boat should remain still until the whale swims away.
Dean reiterated the safety guidelines, stating, “You have to stay 150ft away from marine mammals in the wild. That’s the law.”
Minke whales are commonly seen in the Jersey Shore area, particularly during the fall. Despite being smaller than other whale species, they can grow up to 35 feet long and weigh around 20,000 pounds. They are not considered endangered, but they are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
