Fin whale caught on the bow of a cruise ship en route to Bermuda.

The 60-foot Fin whale was only noticed when the Royal Majesty arrived at St.

George's yesterday. It could have been dead for up to five days.

Agriculture and Fisheries conservation officer Mr. Stephen DeSilva said it was thought that the whale died some two to five days ago.

He said it may have been killed by the Royal Majesty cruise ship or it had just been dragged along by it.

"It could have been killed anywhere between here and the Eastern seaboard,'' Mr. DeSilva said.

Government conservationist Dr. David Wingate said the Fin whale, closely related to the Blue whale which is the largest type of whale, was not normally found in Bermuda waters because it occupies deep ocean.

He said the whale was probably "struck dead-centre'' as it slept. "If it was struck by the cruise ship, its back was probably broken and it probably drowned,'' Dr. Wingate said.

He added that only a cruise ship with an extension at the bow, as the Royal Majesty , would allow a whale to be dragged along on the bow.

Dr. Wingate said the whale would be beached on Cooper's Island until it is decided what to do with the mammal. "There may well be some whale biologists who wished to fly down and study it,'' he said.

The Bermuda Aquarium would probably want the skeleton and someone would want to study the whale's stomach content.