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| Another whale in trouble off Norfolk coast | Another whale in trouble off Norfolk coast |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Another whale may be in trouble in shallow waters off the British coast, rescuers have said. | Another whale may be in trouble in shallow waters off the British coast, rescuers have said. |
| The latest report comes after a bull died at Hunstanton, Norfolk, on Thursday. This was the 30th sperm whale death in the North Sea this year. | The latest report comes after a bull died at Hunstanton, Norfolk, on Thursday. This was the 30th sperm whale death in the North Sea this year. |
| British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) said on Tuesday that it was investigating the latest sighting off north Norfolk. | British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) said on Tuesday that it was investigating the latest sighting off north Norfolk. |
| A spokeswoman said the sighting had been referred to them but there were no further details on precise location or species. | A spokeswoman said the sighting had been referred to them but there were no further details on precise location or species. |
| Last week’s whale death followed the discovery of four dead whales washed up on the Lincolnshire coast and another at Hunstanton last month. | Last week’s whale death followed the discovery of four dead whales washed up on the Lincolnshire coast and another at Hunstanton last month. |
| Others have been found in France, the Netherlands and Germany. | Others have been found in France, the Netherlands and Germany. |
| The Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme, which examines all whale, dolphin and porpoise strandings in the UK, is working to establish why the whales came ashore and how they died. | The Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme, which examines all whale, dolphin and porpoise strandings in the UK, is working to establish why the whales came ashore and how they died. |
| This could help establish what the whales, thought to have come from the same bachelor pod normally living off the west coast of Norway, were doing in the North Sea. | This could help establish what the whales, thought to have come from the same bachelor pod normally living off the west coast of Norway, were doing in the North Sea. |
| One theory is that the male whales could have taken a wrong turn while heading south to find females or been lured by food. | One theory is that the male whales could have taken a wrong turn while heading south to find females or been lured by food. |
| Stephen Marsh, operations manager at the BDMLR, said: “At the moment the report from the coastguard is that the whale is still free-swimming. | Stephen Marsh, operations manager at the BDMLR, said: “At the moment the report from the coastguard is that the whale is still free-swimming. |
| “Because we’re come up to spring tide, the waters may be a bit deeper but that can be a double-edged sword because you get very high high tides and very low low tides. | “Because we’re come up to spring tide, the waters may be a bit deeper but that can be a double-edged sword because you get very high high tides and very low low tides. |
| “If it does strand the story will be very similar to what we’ve had recently - the whale will have very little chance of relaunching and, if it does, its chances of survival will be very low.” | “If it does strand the story will be very similar to what we’ve had recently - the whale will have very little chance of relaunching and, if it does, its chances of survival will be very low.” |
| A member of the Mundesley Coastguard Rescue Team contacted the UK Coastguard just after 10am this morning to report the whale was 300 to 400 yards off shore. | A member of the Mundesley Coastguard Rescue Team contacted the UK Coastguard just after 10am this morning to report the whale was 300 to 400 yards off shore. |
| A spokesman said: “The whale, which is the seventh whale in that area, was reported to be alive and thrashing about in the shallow water.” | A spokesman said: “The whale, which is the seventh whale in that area, was reported to be alive and thrashing about in the shallow water.” |
| Mike Puplett, of the UK Coastguard, said: “We are advising people to keep at a safe distance from the whale, so we do not cause any further distress to it. | Mike Puplett, of the UK Coastguard, said: “We are advising people to keep at a safe distance from the whale, so we do not cause any further distress to it. |
| “We are doing all we can to assist the authorities and allow those with rescue experience to do their work.” | “We are doing all we can to assist the authorities and allow those with rescue experience to do their work.” |
| The Maritime and Coastguard Agency said later that the operation was being stood down as there had been no sightings of the whale for 90 minutes. |