Marine response teams are working to remove a large whale carcass discovered in Newark Bay, as officials coordinate a complex recovery and investigation effort involving multiple agencies. Authorities said the Marine Mammal Stranding Center received a report of the dead whale on Wednesday, April 9, 2026. The animal, estimated to be about 50 feet long, is believed to be either a fin whale or a sei whale, though confirmation is pending further examination.

Following the report, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers assisted in securing the whale to prevent it from posing a navigational hazard in the busy waterway. The carcass was then relocated to a staging area in New York Harbor while officials worked to develop a detailed response plan.

On Friday morning, April 11, 2026, specialists from the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, supported by the Army Corps of Engineers, boarded a vessel to document the whale and collect initial tissue samples. These early steps are part of a broader scientific effort to determine the species and assess potential causes of death.

The Marine Mammal Stranding Center is collaborating with the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, along with local, state, and federal partners, to coordinate the next phase of the operation. Plans include towing the whale to a suitable location where a full necropsy can be conducted. Officials emphasized that assembling the necessary team and equipment remains a priority.

However, the operation faces several logistical challenges. Authorities are still working to secure an appropriate landing site, manage weather-related constraints, and arrange transportation and heavy machinery needed for the examination.

Experts say a comprehensive necropsy will be critical to identifying the species definitively and understanding the circumstances surrounding the whale’s death. Additional updates are expected as the investigation progresses and more information becomes available.