Humpback whale entangled in rope 10 miles offshore from Oceanside

Domenick Candelieri
·1 min read
4

OCEANSIDE, Calif. — A humpback whale got entangled Sunday in a piece of rope 10 miles offshore from Oceanside, authorities said.

With rescue efforts continuing into Tuesday, the Pacific Marine Mammal Center (PMMC) in Orange County and SeaWorld Rescue requested assistance from the Oceanside Fire/Lifeguard Marine Safety Unit, the Oceanside Fire Department said in a news release Wednesday.

Oceanside first responders helped in shuttling essential equipment offshore, providing a stable platform for a PMMC drone operator to track the animal and capture bird’s eye footage, and offering Advanced Life Support (ALS) capabilities in case of any injuries sustained by the rescuers.

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Although rescuers weren’t able to completely free the humpback whale due to waning daylight and the whale’s direction of travel towards foreign waters, they gathered valuable evidence for the cause of the entanglement.

The Oceanside Fire Department added that the assigned agencies will “remain vigilant and committed to monitoring the situation closely.”

“Prepared for further rescue attempts if deemed necessary, these dedicated professionals will continue their collaborative efforts to ensure the welfare of the distressed humpback whale,” the department said.

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