Passengers were horrified when a juvenile whale was feared to have been killed as it was hit by a ferry.

The humpback was seen bleeding as it surfaced beside the boat off America’s Pacific coast after the collision, officials say.

The animal was struck off Seattle, Washington State, and the crew felt a “vibration”. They thought they had hit a log until passengers spotted the whale.

Washington State Ferries said it was the first time a ferry had hit a large whale.

The animal probably did not survive, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said.

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Passengers on the ferry Wenatchee were shaken but none was hurt.

Even if the crew had seen the whale beforehand, the ferry would not have been able to stop in time, according to Gregory Faust, director of marine operations.

He said that if there are reports of whales in the area, ferries slow down but there had been no such reports before the collision.

“I feel terrible. The crew’s the one that feels terrible, they know after the fact what happened, so they’re extremely remorseful and feel horrible about the situation,” he said. The strike is being investigated.

Witnesses said they believed the whale was seriously injured or dying.

“The whale surfaced after being struck and gushing a lot of blood. It surfaced a few more times before sinking,” said Seattle resident Beth Andrus told the Seattle Times.

Michael Milstein, of the NOAA, said that of 23 recorded ship strikes in Washington State involving whales since 2000, only two involved humpbacks, according to NBC News.

Humpback whales can live to up to 80, growing about 50ft long.