Massive 180-Tonne Whale Smashes Into Ship in the Solent
Investigators in Portsmouth are scrambling to find out how a giant Rorqual whale, weighing up to 180 tonnes, ended up stuck on the bow of the Liberian-registered cargo ship Cote d’Ivoirian Star on December 30, 2019. The ship’s crew alerted the coastguard after hearing a heavy impact while sailing through the Solent channel.
Ship Held Off Isle of Wight Before Docking
The vessel, carrying tropical fruit from Senegal to Portsmouth, was held just off the Isle of Wight for several hours before being escorted into Portsmouth harbour. A specialised investigation team was waiting to examine the unusual accident.
Experts Warn Whale Collisions Are Often Missed
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) dispatched a counter-pollution team to monitor the situation closely.
James Robbins from the University of Portsmouth, who studies whale-ship collisions, offered some insight:
“The mammal could have become disorientated and found its way into English Channel shipping lanes, or it may have been struck in the Bay of Biscay where whales are known to gather.”
“Ship strikes are massively under-reported. Many times crews of large ships might not even know they’ve hit a whale.”
“When an unfortunate thing like this happens, it’s a useful learning experience for all involved.”
