Disentangled Whale Rescued Near Santa Cruz Coastline

SANTA CRUZ, CA -- A whale was disentangled from debris Monday in the ocean near Santa Cruz by personnel with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Coast Guard officials said Tuesday.

NOAA personnel got in touch with the Coast Guard at about 8 a.m. Monday to ask for help finding the whale.

Coast Guard officials dispatched a crew in an 87-foot patrol boat and a helicopter crew, which found the whale about three miles southwest of Santa Cruz.

After the boat crew got to the whale, the crew kept other vessels away while NOAA personnel disentangled the animal.

--Bay City News/Photos by Petty Officer 2nd Class Cory Mendenhall with U.S. Coast Guard District 11