According to the Marine Research Institute, the whale had been dead for a long period of time, and the take of samples for determining the cause of death is no longer possible. The whale is about 20m long and is missing its lower jaw, which led to speculations that the carcass may have collided with a ship, an incident that happened about a year ago. The ship was damaged after hitting something but did not show any signs of scratches. 
Fin whales are the second largest whale species, measuring around 24m in length and weighing up to 120t. Strandings are comparatively rare, which is why the whale museum has started to organize its salvage, trying to bring the animal closer to Húsavík, where its skeleton can be processed. The first step was taken by dragging it away from shore to secure the carcass. It is planned to ship it North in summer 2009.