IMAGERY AVAILABLE: Coast Guard assists NOAA in response to entangled whale near Santa Cruz

U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 10/17/2018 01:04 AM EDT

united states coast guard 

News Release  

U.S. Coast Guard 11th District Pacific Southwest
Contact: 11th District Public Affairs
Office: (510) 437-3325
After Hours: (510) 772-8865
11th District online newsroom

Coast Guard assists NOAA in response to entangled whale near Santa Cruz

Editor's Note: Click on images to download full-resolution version.

SAN FRANCISCO — The Coast Guard assisted National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration personnel in locating an entangled whale and assisting in its safe disentanglement near Santa Cruz, Monday.

NOAA personnel contacted Coast Guard Sector San Francisco watchstanders at approximately 8 a.m., requesting assistance in locating an entangled whale off the coast of Santa Cruz.

Sector San Francisco launched the Coast Guard Cutter Hawksbill, an 87-foot Coastal Patrol Boat homeported in Monterey, to search for the whale. A Coast Guard Air Station San Francisco MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew was also dispatched and located the whale approximately three miles southwest of Santa Cruz.

The Hawksbill crew arrived on scene and enforced a safety zone around the whale, keeping other vessels away, while NOAA personnel conducted the disentanglement.

“We were glad to assist in disentangling the whale so it could continue safely on its way,” said Senior Chief Petty Officer Joshua Gunn, Hawksbill's officer-in-charge. “Our partner agencies were instrumental in ensuring the whale was free of the debris and it was a pleasure working with them.”

-USCG-