Search resumes for tangled blue whale off California coast

RANCHO PALOS VERDES, Calif. (AP) — Whale watch boats and the Coast Guard are resuming their search off Southern California for a blue whale entangled in hundreds of feet of fishing line.

Federal marine officials said Sunday that they are seeking assistance from boaters and pilots who may spot the 80-foot mammal.

The whale hasn't been seen since rough seas forced rescuers to abandon efforts Friday to cut the animal free. They managed to attach a buoy to make the whale easier to spot, but it hasn't been seen since.

A spokesman for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says people should stay 1,000 feet away from the whale if they spot it and should alert the Coast Guard.