Whale beached in Ocean Shores died from blunt force trauma

OCEAN SHORES, Wash. - A female humpback whale found beached in Ocean Shores, Washington, Monday appears to have died after suffering blunt force trauma consistent with a ship strike, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The 30.5-foot-long (9 meters) juvenile whale was in “good nutritional condition,” according to NOAA spokesperson Michael Milstein.

The cause of death was “blunt force trauma consistent with a ship strike.”

More information on the whale’s death is expected to be released this week.

Earlier in July, a humpback whale was reportedly struck by a state ferry in Puget Sound. That whale was not immediately found.