BOSTON -- Two endangered whales, one of which researchers believe is near death, were spotted in coastal waters off Florida and Georgia this week.

Researchers from the New England Aquarium were flying over the area when they discovered two right whales entangled in fishing gear.

“One of the whales might be near death as it shows evidence of some of the most severe trauma from entanglement ever seen on any large whale,” the aquarium said in a statement.

Aerial pictures show white-colored cuts up to 24 inches wide around the whale’s body. Named Ruffian, the young male was last seen in December in the Gulf of Maine.

“I was horrified at the severity of the injuries. Its survival is questionable," said Amy Knowlton, a senior scientist with the New England Aquarium.

North Atlantic right whales are the most endangered large whale in the Atlantic with only 400 still alive.

A second young whale was seen on the same day with a long rope trailing more than 60 feet from both sides of its mouth. It also had extensive lacerations on its tail, but the injuries are less severe.

Bad weather along the Southeast coast has prevented a rescue attempt. With good weather “a disentanglement team may attempt to reduce the length of the line trailing from the whale’s mouth or free it entirely,” the aquarium said.

It is unclear if anything can be done for Ruffian. “Whales with this severe of an injury typically succumb over a period of weeks to months,” the aquarium said.

Over the last 20 years, six right whales are known to have died of gear entanglements while 12 more right whales are presumed to have died, according to the aquarium.