A humpback whale, aged four, was discovered deceased near Keats Island in Howe Sound, prompting an investigation by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) to ascertain the cause of death. Alex Cole, a resident of Howe Sound, learned about the deceased whale through a local Facebook group that he administers on Saturday evening. He navigated his boat to the south side of Keats Island the following morning and captured images of the deceased whale resting against the rocks. Cole expressed his sorrow, describing it as a tragic sight to witness such a magnificent creature in a vulnerable state.

The deceased whale was found in the same vicinity where another humpback whale had been struck by a whale-watching vessel on October 23. Prince of Whales, a whale-watching company, released a statement suggesting that the deceased whale might be the same one involved in the recent collision. Expressing devastation over the news, the company affirmed its commitment to cooperate with the DFO as the situation unfolds.

The DFO identified the deceased humpback whale as BCY1464, known as Wisp, and confirmed an ongoing investigation into the incident. Erin Gless from the Pacific Whale Watch Association shared that Wisp, born in 2021 to mother BCX1333 Ghost, had been feeding alongside another whale, BCY1463 Malachite, near the shore in Howe Sound earlier in the season. Wisp gained popularity over the summer as it was frequently spotted near the shoreline, earning affection from many observers.

In a separate incident, a high-speed ferry collided with a humpback whale in English Bay near Vancouver on October 17. The DFO later confirmed that the injured whale was the calf of BCX1193 Zig Zag, displaying a deep gash near its dorsal fin. Vessel strikes pose a significant threat to humpback whales, with increasing numbers of these marine mammals in coastal waters leading to heightened risks from human activities and vessel traffic.