Whale stranded in River Thames put down after failed rescue bid
The minke whale was first spotted at Richmond Lock and Weir on Sunday May 9 and was then rescued by the RNLI after it trapped against the riverbank near Teddington
Updated
The whale became stranded in south west London (Image: Richard Frank)
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The mink whale that became stranded in the Thames near Teddington Lock on Sunday evening (May 9) is not likely to survive and may have to be euthanised, experts have said. Despite a rescue attempt succeeding in getting the whale freed from the lock, the prognosis reportedly looks bleak for its survival and return to the sea. Vets were expected to carry out health checks on the whale Monday afternoon to assess its state after it swam far inland in the Thames away from its natural habitat in the sea. Dan Jarvis, welfare development and field support officer at the British Divers Marine Life Rescue service, said the veterinarian will carry out a health assessment on the whale.
A minke whale that became stranded in the River Thames in London has been freed after a four-hour operation but its life still hangs in the balance .
The whale was spotted at around 7pm local time today stuck near Richmond Lock on the River Thames, a Port of London Authority spokesperson told CNN.
The whale is believed to be a small minke whale approximately three metres long, he said.
A whale has become stranded in the River Thames.(CNN)
Marine mammal experts from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue arrived on the scene and worked to free the whale from the shallow concrete ledge.
Monday May 10, 2021, 1:59 PM
ITV News Correspondent Sally Biddulph has the latest on the whereabouts of the whale after it was freed from the lock
A whale has been freed after it became stranded along the River Thames in south-west London on Sunday evening.
Hundreds gathered at Richmond Lock and Weir after the small whale, thought to be around three to four metres long, became stuck on the lock’s boat rollers.
But on Monday the whale was still in the river, spotted near Teddington Lock just after 10.20am, heading downstream towards Chiswick and back towards Richmond Lock and Weir.
The Minke whale was freed on Sunday after it became stuck. Credit: PA
A small whale has been stranded along the River Thames in south-west London.
Hundreds gathered at Richmond Lock and Weir on Sunday evening after the whale, believed to be a Minke whale – between three to four metres long, became stuck.
Videos showed it being hosed down by a man, while a vet performed a check-up at the river’s edge, before the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) arrived at the scene to cheers at around 9pm.
A witness has told the PA news agency that “quite the crowd” watched as the attempted rescue took place.
A man has been seen hosing down the whale (Jake Manketo/PA)