TORRANCE, CALIFORNIA — Authorities said Torrance Beach was a sad and shocking sight Saturday night when a massive whale entered the surf, attracted a crowd of passersby and eventually died.

Lifeguards were called to the 10 to 12 meter long fin whale at around 6 p.m., authorities said. The Marine Mammal Care Center and the National Marine Fisheries Service were informed about the whale and immediately began examining its condition.

John Warner of the Marine Mammal Care Center told KTLA that the whale was a sick juvenile, adding that the center hopes to take samples and find out what happened to the animal.

Because of its size and location, the whale is expected to remain on the beach while rescuers develop a plan to recover it, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department’s Lifeguard Division, which instructed people nearby to make way for the animal.

Fin whales are the second largest whale species on Earth and are critically endangered and decimated according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. When fully grown, they can grow up to 26 meters long, weigh 80 tons and live up to 90 years.