September 6, 2015

Search resumes for tangled blue whale off California coast

Search resumes for tangled blue whale off California coast
In this Friday, Sept. 4, 2015, photo, provided by Alisa Schulman-Janiger, rescuers try to free a blue whale that got tangled up in hundreds of feet of line off the coast of Southern California. Boats, airplanes and helicopters searched up and down the Southern California coast Saturday for the whale, and rescuers said unless they free it, the massive mammal could eventually die. (Alisa Schulman-Janiger via AP)

Whale watch boats and the Coast Guard are resuming their search off Southern California for a blue whale entangled in hundreds of feet of fishing line.

Federal marine officials said Sunday that they are seeking assistance from boaters and pilots who may spot the 80-foot mammal.

The whale hasn't been seen since rough seas forced rescuers to abandon efforts Friday to cut the animal free. They managed to attach a buoy to make the whale easier to spot, but it hasn't been seen since.

A spokesman for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says people should stay 1,000 feet away from the whale if they spot it and should alert the Coast Guard.

  • Search resumes for tangled blue whale off California coast
    This Friday, Sept. 4, 2015, still image from video provided by KABC-TV, shows a blue whale that is tangled in fishing line, off the coast of Southern California near the Palos Verdes Peninsula. A disentanglement team from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration arrived at the scene before sunset and attached a larger buoy to keep track of the whale but decided to hold off on efforts to cut or detach the line until Saturday. (KABC-TV via AP)
  • Search resumes for tangled blue whale off California coast
    This Friday, Sept. 4, 2015, still image from video provided by KABC-TV, shows a blue whale that is tangled in fishing line, off the coast of Southern California near the Palos Verdes Peninsula. A disentanglement team from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration arrived at the scene before sunset and attached a larger buoy to keep track of the whale but decided to hold off on efforts to cut or detach the line until Saturday. (KABC-TV via AP)

© 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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