Stranded whale found along city oceanfront

THE MARINE MAMMAL STRANDING CENTER A whale washed ashore on the Long Branch oceanfront.

LONG BRANCH - Authorities are saying that the cause of death of an endangered fin whale that washed ashore in Long Branch over the weekend is a collision with a ship.

The 48-foot-7-inch-long whale was found stranded on the beach at Seven Presidents Park on Sunday, according to The Marine Mammal Stranding Center (MMSC), based in Brigantine.

The cause of death is likely ship strike according to authorities at MMSC, who said that by the time the whale washed in, "it was severely decomposed."