Dead humpback whale washes up on NC coast

KURE BEACH, N.C. – A dead humpback whale has washed up in the surf at Kure Beach south of Wilmington, North Carolina.

Local media outlets report that the whale was reported about 6 a.m. Wednesday. It was estimated to be about 25 feet long.

William McClellan of the University of North Carolina Wilmington says the whale was a baby humpback between 1 and 2 years old. He says the whale was very thin and appeared to have been sick for some time.

The whale was being removed for a necropsy to determine the cause of death.