Rescuers Can't Locate Blue Whale Tangled In Fishing Line

SAN PEDRO (CBSLA.com/AP) — Crews said on Saturday afternoon that they still have not been able to locate a blue whale tangled in a fishing line off the Southern California coast.

The whale, believed to be about 80 feet long, was spotted spouting and diving Friday afternoon in a channel between the mainland and Santa Catalina Island. It was dragging about 300 feet of trailing line with an attached buoy, possibly from a lobster or crab trap.

It was last seen swimming south from Catalina Island and could be around Newport Beach today, said Peter Wallerstein of Marine Animal Rescue, who said the whale might be in distress but it isn't in danger.

"He'll last a long time. He's moving. He kept swimming away from us," Wallerstein said.

Crews on Friday were using poles with knives attached in attempt to cut the whale loose.

A disentanglement team of marine animal rescue experts arrived at the scene before sunset and attached a larger buoy to keep track of the whale but decided to hold off on efforts to cut or detach the line until Saturday.

However, their efforts were put off when the whale could still not be located by Saturday afternoon.

Authorities were asking any boaters who see the whale to call 877-SOS-WHALE.

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