Tissue samples may shed light on the cause of death of a Fin Whale that was lanced and carried by a cruise ship to Bermuda last week.

A post-mortem exam began last Wednesday and it took three and a half days for staff from the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo to remove the blubber and tissue from the whale's 60-foot carcass.

Aquarium principle curator Mr. Richard Winchell said tissue samples from the whale's major organs have been sent to a number of scientists in the US to attempt to solve the whale's mysterious death.

Preliminary results indicated the whale had been dead for "some days''.

The sub-adult whale's broken back bone seemed to point toward a collision that was believed to have taken place some 30 miles southeast of Cape Cod with the Royal Majesty cruise ship.

Mr. Winchell said lack of shark damage to the whale indicated that the whale either died before the collision or had died in the collision while sleeping.

The 60-foot whale was not noticed by staff aboard the Royal Majesty until they arrived off St. George's last Tuesday.

The whale was towed in by Fisheries staff on Callamus , with the assistance of D&J Excavating Services, to Cooper's Island where it was beached and worked on throughout the weekend.

The Aquarium, Museum and Zoo will save the skeleton for eventual display.