Whale dart search in East Hampton continues

Police divers Saturday used metal detectors to search for a dart lost along the East Hampton shoreline in a bid to euthanize a stranded 13-ton whale last week.

The dart, which officials said contained a 50-milliliter dose of the sedatives Midazolam and medetomidine, was fired at the humpback whale Thursday, but glanced off the animal. The whale was euthanized Friday.

After the day's search ended, Capt. Mike Tracey of the East Hampton Village Police said a 150-yard section of the beach would reopen.

"We will continue to keep an eye out for the device," said Tracey, who earlier called the chance of finding the dart "remote."

He said he and officials from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration believe the dart may have floated east.

The nearly 2 1/2-foot projectile was likely drained of sedative but could pose a danger if not handled properly, said Trevor Spradlin, a marine mammal biologist with NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service.

Beachgoers should treat it as a biohazard, he said. If they find it, they shouldn't touch it but should immediately call authorities, he said.

Tracey said the search would continue for a couple of days.

"It's like finding a needle in a haystack," village administrator Larry Cantwell said.

Meanwhile, a truck took the whale's carcass to the town landfill. It was slated for disposal Monday. The carcass - in two tractor-trailers - was expected to be picked up by Winters Bros. Waste Systems and taken to a disposal facility, Cantwell said.

The stranding cost East Hampton village more than $5,000, Cantwell said.

"We had to have a 24-hour police presence at Main Beach from when it was discovered at 8 a.m. on Tuesday until it was removed about 8 p.m. on Friday night, plus pay for police overtime," he said.

A front-end loader and Public Works personnel also had to be on site. The village ended up having to contract for a bulldozer to remove the whale because the front-end loader's tires sunk under the whale's weight.

"I never want to witness a large whale washed up on our beach again," Cantwell said. But he added that the cost "pales in comparison to the passion you have for the animal."

With Debbie Tuma