Two juvenile humpback whales returned to open water after becoming stuck on sandbars near New York's Fire Island. The US Coast Guard and other organizations responded to one of them, with crews protecting it while it remained in shallow water. After several hours, and with help from the rising tide, the animal managed to free itself.
Coast Guard personnel responded to a report of a stranded whale at about 8:30 a.m. The first priority was to determine whether the animal was alive. Coast Guard Fireman Logan Pina explained that rescuers confirmed this when they saw the whale exhaling through its blowhole.
While the whale remained stuck, crews poured water over it to protect it from dehydration and sunburn. They also used their boat to keep passing vessels at a distance. Their support thus focused on caring for the animal and preventing other boats from approaching.
The Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, Suffolk Marine Patrol, NOAA Fisheries and the state's environmental protection agency also took part in the operation. Crew members described their concern while the animal remained trapped and their excitement when it began to move. Pina said they watched the whale move away as they cheered it on.
During the response, crews observed a total of three whales in the Fire Island National Seashore area. According to officials, a second humpback whale had also become stuck on a sandbar but managed to free itself. Rob DiGiovanni, chief scientist at the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, confirmed that the team was monitoring both the first whale and other animals in the area.
Officials pointed out that protecting the environment, including marine life, is one of the Coast Guard's missions. In this incident, the crews' presence allowed the stranded whale to be cared for and protected until it could leave.
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