Princess Cruise Lines has agreed to pay a large fine after one of its ships was accused of striking and killing a humpback whale near Glacier Bay in southeast Alaska over five years ago.

The court date is set for Monday 29 January and Princess is expected to pay $755,000 in fines and restitution. A spokeswoman, Julie Benson, confirmed that the company plans to enter the plea agreement and plead guilty to a single misdemeanor of "failing to operate at a slow, safe speed while near humpback whales." Part of the fine will go to the Glacier Bay National Park.

The body of the 45-foot humpback was found floating near the mouth of Glacier Bay in mid-July 2001. A necropsy conducted at the time showed the animal died of massive skull fractures. The vessel - Dawn Princess, had been operating near two humpback whales a few days before, according to the court papers and news reports at the time.

Image copyright: Paula Woloszko