Rescuers free baby whale from Richmond lock after intensive late night mission
The whale got into difficulty as it was washed ashore at Richmond Lock after swimming up the River Thames
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A frantic rescue mission to save a baby Minke whale that became stuck in the River Thames went on through the night before the injured mammal was moved.
Updates as life of Minke whale stuck in River Thames hangs in balance
The baby whale rescued on Sunday has becone stranded once again
Updated (Image: PA)
The life of a baby whale that has become stranded in the River Thames in London for the second time in 24 hours hangs in the balance , local authorities have said.
The whale, a minke between 10ft (3m) and 13ft (4m) long, was freed from a concrete bank and towed down stream after it became stuck at Richmond Lock and Weir on Sunday.
Videos showed it being hosed down by a man believed to be from the Port of London Authority (PLA), while a vet performed a check-up at the river’s edge, before the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) arrived at the scene to the cheers of onlookers at about 9pm.
Thames whale live: Baby Minke is humanely killed as rescue mission ends in heartbreak
A large crowd gathered in Teddington as the whale became trapped for a second time
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The baby whale that became trapped in the Thames has had to be put to sleep after becoming completely beached.
This evening (Monday, May 10) the decision was taken to humanely end the life of the Minke as it became clear it couldn t be rescued.
Crowds had gathered at Teddington Lock in West London to watch as specialist divers from the RNLI tried to sedate the whale in order to move it.
Young whale seen swimming upstream in Thames after being freed overnight iwradio.co.uk - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from iwradio.co.uk Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Minnie the 13ft minke whale is put down by vets to end its suffering after becoming trapped and distressed in reeds just hours after being freed from Richmond Lock
A 13ft minke whale which got stranded in the River Thames will be put down after its condition deteriorated
Injured baby whale dubbed Minnie has become trapped for a second time in Thames in less than 24 hours
The 13ft calf appeared to have become tangled in weeds at Teddington Lock, 60 miles from estuary
Hundreds of people gathered along the river to try and spot minke whale swimming further inland
Experts say the baby whale is showing signs of injury and distress and may not survive the ordeal