Humpback whale dead after ferry crew reports collision off B.C. coast

VICTORIA — A humpback whale has been found dead off the British Columbia coast after a ferry crew reported a collision.

BC Ferries says in a statement that the crew of the Northern Expedition reported hitting a whale on Wednesday in Wright Sound near Prince Rupert, B.C.

The statement says BC Ferries immediately reported the collision to federal authorities, the local First Nations and researchers, who then found a dead whale in the vicinity around 10:30 a.m. Thursday.

BC Ferries says Fisheries and Oceans Canada is going to co-ordinate a necropsy to find out how the whale died.

The 151-metre Northern Expedition was built in 2009 and has a capacity of 638 people and 115 cars.

The vessel is used to service BC Ferries’ northern routes involving open seas, including the service between Prince Rupert and Port Hardy, B.C.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2025.

The Canadian Press