NewsFox 5 San Diego & KUSI — Local NewsOctober 26, 2026San Diego County
SeaWorld San Diego Rescuer Helps Free Humpback Whale Off SoCal Coast
Photo: Fox 5 San Diego & KUSI — Local News
A SeaWorld San Diego rescue team assisted in freeing a 29-foot humpback whale entangled in 100 feet of trailing line off the San Clemente coast last Sunday. Rescuers used drones, underwater cameras, and tracking tags before cutting the twisted line with a special knife to allow the whale to shake free. The incident marked the first reported disentanglement off the Southern California coast this year.
Read the full story at Fox 5 San Diego & KUSI — Local NewsWhy It Matters
The rescue prevented a potentially fatal entanglement for a humpback whale and highlights an increase in marine mammal entanglements along the West Coast linked to extreme El Niño conditions.
Key Facts
- A 29-foot humpback whale with about 100 feet of trailing line attached to its tail fluke was spotted five miles off the San Clemente coast.
- The initial report was received by the Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach.
- Keith Yip, a Level 4 NOAA responder from SeaWorld San Diego, led the cutting of the twisted line.
- Rescuers used drones, underwater cameras, and a tracking tag to monitor the whale.
- The team attached a hydrodynamic buoy and a poly ball buoy to the trailing line to make it heavier and prevent deep dives.
- The whale eventually shook free from the line, leaving only a small scar, and all remaining gear fell off before the vessel returned to shore.
- This rescue marked the first reported disentanglement off the Southern California coast this year.
- NOAA notes that West Coast entanglements are rising this year, potentially linked to extreme El Niño conditions.
- Public reports of entangled marine mammals can be made via the Entanglement Reporting Hotline at 1-877-SOS-WHALE or to the U.S. Coast Guard on VHF Ch. 16.
Who's Mentioned
OrganizationSeaWorld San Diego“Assisted with freeing an entangled humpback whale”locationLaguna Beach“Home of the Pacific Marine Mammal Center”OrganizationEntangled Whale Response Orange County“Assisted with the rescue”PersonKeith Yip“Level 4 NOAA responder from SeaWorld San Diego who cut the line”OrganizationNOAA Fisheries West Coast Stranding Network Partner“Provided teams that assisted with the rescue”PersonShawn Abbey“PMMC Stranding & Rescue Coordinator”OrganizationNOAA Fisheries“Trains and authorizes whale entanglement responders”locationSouthern California“Coast where the disentanglement took place”locationSan Clemente“Coast near where the whale was spotted”OrganizationU.S. Coast Guard“Contact agency for reporting entangled marine mammals”OrganizationPacific Marine Mammal Center“Received the initial report and coordinated the rescue”