Whale gets entangled in cruise ship anchor for hours in southeast Alaska

A humpback whale became entangled in an anchorline on a small cruise ship in southeast Alaska, getting stuck for roughly 12 hours while federal authorities and the boat's crewworked to free it.

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The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries says ultimately the anchor chain was cut in hopesthe whale could wriggle loose.

The chain was wrapped around thewhale's lower jaw.

The agency says the team saw a whale, believed to be the one thathad been entangled, swimming away.

NOAA Fisheries says whales were bubble-net feeding near theanchored ship south of Juneau early Sunday when one hit the boat andgot wrapped in the anchor line.

Agency spokeswoman Julie Speegle says the ship's crewappropriately responded to the entanglement.