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 The whale was first seen in the afternoon by a cruise ship 5 miles
(8 km) off the coast of the upscale seaside community of Rancho
Palos Verdes, said National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) spokesman Jim Milbury.
Milbury said a crew authorized by NOAA to conduct marine animal
rescues was on scene and assessing whether they could cut the line
to free the endangered animal.
He said towing the line could potentially exhaust the whale or cut
into its skin, adding, "It's certainly not doing it any good, that's
for sure."
 Blue whales, the largest animals on Earth, can grow to reach nearly
100 feet (30 meters) in length and weigh 190 tons (172 tonnes). They
were once driven to near extinction by whaling.
Authorities have urged whale watchers and others to stay away from
the area, Milbury said.
Aerial footage broadcast by local television news outlet KABC showed
the thick line trailing dozens of feet off the whale's tail with
what appeared to be a buoy attached to the end.
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Dan Salas, a captain for Harbor Breezes Cruises, told the Los
Angeles Times that one of the firm's boats first saw the whale on an
whale-watching trip.
"Nothing was unusual until the captain got close and he immediately
noticed that the whale was in distress," Salas told the newspaper.
(Reporting by Curtis Skinner; Editing by Doina Chiacu)
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