By Jim Brunner

The Seattle Times

A humpback whale may have been struck by a Washington State Ferries vessel near Mukilteo on Monday.

It is unlikely the whale survived the collision with the ferry Tokitae, said Kelley Balcomb-Bartok, communications director for the Pacific Whale Watch Association (PWWA), which shared video and photos of the animal struggling near the water’s surface.

Washington State Ferries said it is working with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to review photos and videos of the incident.

The PWWA said it expects the whale carcass to surface in the days or weeks to come.

According to the PWWA, the whale watching vessel Saratoga was nearby and tried to alert the Tokitae’s crew to the whale’s presence as the ferry traveled toward it at a speed of 13 knots, or about 15 miles per hour, near the Mukilteo ferry terminal shortly after noon Monday.

Ian Sterling, a spokesman for Washington State Ferries, said the Tokitae was nearing the terminal when it received a report of whales in the area and slowed down.

Sterling said the crew did not see the vessel strike a whale, but added it was “highly possible.” He said it’s “very rare” for a Washington ferry to strike a whale.

“Obviously it’s upsetting to the crew when these sorts of things happen,” Sterling said.