A massive dead humpback whale that washed ashore in Newport Beach earlier this week was towed out to sea Friday after drifting back offshore overnight, and marine scientists used the rare stranding to collect valuable data about whale health and ocean conditions along the Southern California coast.
The 23,000-pound, nearly 30-foot-long whale ended up just offshore of Corona del Mar’s Main Beach after shifting tides carried the carcass back into the water, according to Newport Beach Lifeguard Chief Brian O’Rourke. According to wildlife officials, the whale was estimated to be a subadult humpback, which is comparable to a teenager in human years.
A commercial towing crew then secured the whale and began hauling it approximately 25 miles offshore on Friday, where it would be disposed of at sea. “We worked closely with local lifeguards, harbor patrol and marine scientists to safely get the tow underway,” crewmember Tyler Wayman told KTLA. “The plan is to take the whale offshore to a designated location where natural ocean processes will allow it to eventually sink and become part of the marine ecosystem.”
Officials said the outcome helped prevent the carcass from washing into rocks and sensitive tide pools within the nearby Corona del Mar marine preserve.
While removal plans were underway, response teams from the Pacific Marine Mammal Center and the Ocean Animal Response & Research Alliance documented the whale and conducted a necropsy, collecting biological samples including skin, blubber, baleen and bodily fluids for laboratory analysis. Researchers also confirmed the whale was female.
Scientists said strandings like this provide rare opportunities to better understand threats facing marine mammals.
A massive dead humpback whale is towed offshore from Newport Beach as crews work to remove the carcass following its stranding along the Balboa Peninsula. February 2026. (Tyler Wayman)
Researchers and responders examine a deceased humpback whale after it washed ashore in Newport Beach, collecting samples to help determine the cause of death and gather data on ocean health. February 2026. (Pacific Marine Mammal Center)
Researchers and responders examine a deceased humpback whale after it washed ashore in Newport Beach, collecting samples to help determine the cause of death and gather data on ocean health. February 2026. (Pacific Marine Mammal Center)
A massive dead humpback whale is towed offshore from Newport Beach as crews work to remove the carcass following its stranding along the Balboa Peninsula. February 2026. (Tyler Wayman)
A massive dead humpback whale is towed offshore from Newport Beach as crews work to remove the carcass following its stranding along the Balboa Peninsula. February 2026. (Tyler Wayman)
A massive dead humpback whale is towed offshore from Newport Beach as crews work to remove the carcass following its stranding along the Balboa Peninsula. February 2026. (Tyler Wayman)
“Humpback whales are a sentinel species,” said Dr. Alissa Deming, vice president of conservation medicine and science at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center. “Every stranding represents both a loss and an opportunity — a unique chance to better understand the threats these animals face and how we can protect the population as a whole.”
Rough surf initially made a full examination unsafe, but teams returned Thursday when conditions improved, deploying a thermography drone to document the whale and assess for visible injuries. Researchers also plan to attach a satellite tag to track the carcass’ movement offshore, helping scientists study ocean currents and post-stranding drift patterns.
The whale first drew crowds Wednesday after coming ashore near 11th Street on the Balboa Peninsula between the Newport and Balboa piers. The cause of death remains under investigation.
Authorities reminded the public that humpback whales are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act and that stranded marine mammals should be observed only from a safe distance and reported to trained responders.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.