Seaside Park (08752) – Tragedy Strikes: Whale Dies After Boat Collision in Barnegat Bay – URGENT INVESTIGATION UNDERWAY

Seaside Park (08752) – A heartbreaking incident has rocked the Barnegat Bay community after a whale, believed to be a juvenile humpback, was killed in a devastating boat collision on Tuesday afternoon. Marine officials and local environmental groups are calling the event both tragic and preventable, as boating traffic in New Jersey’s inland waterways reaches a summer peak.

The collision occurred just off the coast near Seaside Park around 2:15 PM, when a recreational speedboat struck the whale as it surfaced. Eyewitnesses say the whale was seen struggling for several minutes before succumbing to its injuries. Marine mammal experts from the Marine Mammal Stranding Center (MMSC) arrived on scene shortly after and confirmed the whale had died from blunt force trauma consistent with a high-speed impact.

The death of the whale has sparked renewed scrutiny over marine traffic regulations in Barnegat Bay, especially amid the seasonal spike in boaters during summer. Officials are urging all boaters to reduce speed in known marine wildlife zones and to remain vigilant while navigating. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is assisting in the investigation and a necropsy is being performed to determine the full extent of injuries.

Key Facts

• BREAKING: Juvenile whale killed after boat collision near Seaside Park, Barnegat Bay

• IMPACT: Marine wildlife threatened; hundreds of boats traverse area daily

• OFFICIAL SOURCE: “This was a preventable tragedy,” – Sheila Dean, MMSC Co-Director

• ACTION: Boaters urged to slow down and report wildlife sightings to NOAA

Hyperlocal Impact

1. Precise Location:
   Seaside Park (08752) – Near Island Beach State Park entrance and 24th Avenue Pier

2. Community Connection:
   “We saw the splash, then blood in the water. It was horrifying.”
   – Mike Delaney, Toms River Marina operator

Exclusive Angle

• WHY THIS MATTERS NOW:
  This is the second whale death in NJ waters in under a month.
  Conservationists link the trend to record-high boat traffic and lax enforcement of marine speed zones.

Update Log

• 3:45 PM: NOAA confirms necropsy underway; preliminary cause of death is blunt force trauma

• 4:20 PM: Witness footage submitted to NJDEP for collision timeline analysis

• 5:10 PM: Officials issue slow-speed advisory for all vessels in southern Barnegat Bay zone