NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. - An entangled whale was spotted off the Southern California coast during the weekend, but rescuers were unable to help it before it disappeared.
The Orange County Register reports Newport Coastal Adventure boat captain Taylor Thorne spotted the humpback Saturday near the Newport Beach Pier. Thorne then contacted the Marine Animal Entanglement Response Network.
A green fishing line ran from the whale's mouth to its left flipper, down its side and over its flukes.
Boats from the whale watching company tracked the whale as it swam north along Orange County.
A rescue team arrived as it reached Long Beach, but the whale was last seen at about 6:30 p.m. a few miles south of Point Fermin on the Los Angeles County coast.
