MANILA, Philippines— (UPDATE) A tug boat in Manila’s South Harbor late Monday afternoon bumped into the carcass of a Minke whale.

Coast Guard authorities, informed of the find, said it was the first time ever they saw a dead whale in Manila Bay, a major shipping channel.

The crew of the Super Ferry’s MV Our Lady of Good Voyage found the whale, described to be “the size of two sports utility vehicles” in both length and diameter, floating near the Manila Bay breakwater at Pier 13.

The whale was later measured at 10-meters long (33 feet).

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) towed the whale to their nearest command fleet and called the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

BFAR director Malcom Sarmiento said they would conduct an autopsy on the female adult whale to determine what caused its death.

Sarmiento said the whale had to be removed and put out of public reach because it was “toxic.”

“Heavy metals” were detected in the whale’s digestive tract.

Sarmiento said the whale had been dead for about 24 hours when it was discovered.

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