Search Suspended For Whale Entangled Off Camp Pendleton

LAGUNA BEACH (CBSLA.com) — Marine mammal rescuers were working Friday to find and rescue an entangled fin whale off Camp Pendleton before suspending the search due to darkness.

A whale watching boat notified Orange County Sheriff's deputies around 1:11 p.m. of the whale caught up in either a net or a rope about two miles off the coast, according to the Sheriff's Department Harbor Patrol.

A whale entanglement team from the Pacific Marine Mammal Center was deployed to the scene near Dana Point Harbor, a spokesperson said. The search eventually moved south towards Camp Pendleton.

Shortly before 4 p.m., the entangled whale was spotted by Sky9 about six miles off of Camp Pendleton with an object that appeared to be a rope tied to its body.

The search for the whale was suspended after the whale dove underwater and was not seen before nightfall.