Whale found on cruise ship bow in Alaska for second time since June

A dead fin whale was found on a cruise ship's bow in Sitka, Alaska.

"Our Alaska Marine Mammal Stranding Network team is responding to assess and determine next steps," NOAA Fisheries told USA TODAY in an emailed statement. The agency was notified on Sept. 17.

NOAA Fisheries did not yet have additional details to share, and did not name the cruise ship involved.

The incident is the second of its kind in recent months, after a cruise ship belonging to Royal Caribbean Group arrived in Seward, Alaska with a dead fin whale on its bow in June. "Preliminary necropsy findings showed blunt force trauma to the jaw, spine, and ribs consistent with a vessel strike," the Alaska SeaLife Center said in a news release at the time.

Eye-tracking study reveals the top 20 most stunning cruise ports

From ports decorated with centuries-old architecture to sunlit turquoise bays, a new eye-tracking study revealed the world's most beautiful cruise ports, with three Caribbean spots making the top 20. The research, conducted by travel insurance experts at AllClear, used eye-tracking technology to measure which of the world's travel hotspots are the most impressive to arrive at by sea. They measured which cruise ports caught people's attention first, and held it the longest, revealing the world's most captivating coastal arrivals. 1. Valletta Cruise Port, Malta A UNESCO World Heritage Site, our study's most beautiful cruise port is a masterpiece in harbour aesthetics. Its combination of golden limestone reflecting off the glistening water provides the ultimate, jaw-dropping arrival into this exciting Mediterranean city, and with the longest fixation time of any port in the study, Malta certainly earned its place as our number one. What cruisers will love: Walk into the historic town in just 15 minutes and explore St. John's Co-Cathedral with its Baroque artwork, or head to the Upper Barrakka Gardens for panoramic views of the harbour itself.

Fin whales are an endangered species named for a fin near their tails, according to NOAA Fisheries' website . Behind blue whales, they are the second-biggest whale species on the planet.

"Whaling is no longer a threat for fin whales (commercial whaling ended in the 1970s and 1980s, though some subsistence hunting continues today in Greenland under sustainable quotas allowed by the International Whaling Commission)," the agency said. "Currently, the major threat to this species comes from vessel strikes."

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.