Humpback whale carcass to be buried on beach

LONG BEACH, Wash. - A large humpback whale carcass washed ashore along the Washington coast this week and officials have decided to dig a hole and bury it.

The dead whale, a female that weighs about 50 tons and is about 55 feet long, was first spotted on Tuesday.

On Friday, the Washington State Parks and Recreation plans to dig a large hole in the sand to bury the whale, which is estimated to have been between 50 and 70 years old.  A necropsy is also planned for Friday to try to determine how the whale died.

Those who were around in 1970 may remember what officials decided to do with a whale that washed up on the Oregon coast near Florence.

A half-ton of dynamite was used to blow up the carcass and former KATU Reporter Paul Linnman earned himself a place in Oregon history for his report on the event.