Full Breakdown
Dead Humpback Whale Struck by BC Ferries Vessel Toward Squamish Nation Ceremony
By Drooid · · How we work
In this breakdown
01
Collision and Recovery
In October 2026 a BC Ferries vessel, the *Queen of Surrey*, collided with a humpback whale while traveling between the Sunshine Coast’s Langdale Terminal and West Vancouver’s Horseshoe Bay. Passengers reported feeling the impact. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) later confirmed the whale—identified as Notcho (BCX1700)—was found floating near Gambier Island a week after the incident. DFO marine-mammal response team member Paul Cottrell verified that the carcass was the same animal struck by the ferry, noting missing fluke and peduncle. The Canadian Coast Guard subsequently towed the bloated body to the Squamish Nation’s Xwemelch’stn (Capilano) village on the Burrard Inlet shoreline.
02
Squamish Nation Response
Chairperson Sxwíxwtn Wilson Williams explained that whales hold sacred cultural and spiritual importance for the Squamish people. The Nation assembled a team, including an elder experienced in traditional whale harvesting, to prepare for a private cultural ceremony. Williams indicated plans to involve community members and local school groups in educational activities linked to the ceremony.
03
Official Actions
The DFO has initiated a necropsy and is collecting tissue samples to determine the precise cause of death; results are expected to take several months. The Canadian Coast Guard coordinated the transport of the carcass and communicated with the Squamish Nation throughout the process.
04
Cultural Significance
The ceremony will feature songs, drums, and prayers, reflecting the deep connection the Squamish Nation maintains with marine mammals. Williams emphasized the community’s desire for privacy while inviting those who wish to honor the whale.
05
Verbatim Quotes
- “There’s a deep connection historically, [and] having whales coming back through our waters means a lot to our people,” — Sxwíxwtn Wilson Williams, chairperson
- “We have an elder that has travelled down from the far west of [Vancouver] Island that has experience in harvesting whales,” — Sxwíxwtn Wilson Williams, chairperson
- “We're looking at providing time for community members to come down, maybe having the little ones' school come down as a field trip,” — Sxwíxwtn Wilson Williams, chairperson
- “A lot of people that reached out today want to go down and just share a song, drum, and sing and share a prayer,” — Sxwíxwtn Wilson Williams, chairperson
- “Being on site was challenging today because our hearts go out to the loss of life, and you can feel the power of such a beautiful mammal,” — Sxwíxwtn Wilson Williams, chairperson