Ship strikes whale, drags it to Port of Oakland

PORT OF OAKLAND -- An inbound ship struck a whale and dragged it all the way to the Port of Oakland this morning, a U.S. Coast Guard spokeswoman said.

The Coast Guard received a report at about 10 a.m. that a ship had struck a 25-foot whale, Coast Guard Lt. j.g. Laura Williams said.

The animal got stuck on the ship's bow and was dragged along with the ship until it docked at Berth 57 at the port, Williams said.

Williams did not know where the whale was struck, or what species it is.

Investigators believe the whale may have been dead before it was hit, based on what appear to be shark bite marks on it, she said.

The National Marine Fisheries Service, a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, has been notified of the incident and will respond to the port to remove the whale, Williams said.

Investigators will take samples from the whale to see what species it is and to determine when and where it may have died, she said.

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