Hopes fade for stuck minke whale LONDON (AP) â Hopes faded Monday for a young minke whale who became trapped in the River Thames near London, authorities said. Rescuers trying to recapture the whale said that by 5 p.m. its condition had deteriorated rapidly and it would soon be stranded by the dropping tide near Teddington in southwest London. âOnce the whale is beached a veterinary team will be on stand by to euthanize the animal to end its suffering,â the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) said in a statement. The BDMLR said the injured and drained calf would struggle to swim even if it managed to get back into deeper water.