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Young whale is beached on coast Beached whale swims free in waves
(about 1 hour later)
Rescue teams have found a whale which has been beached on the Gwynedd coast after apparently losing its way. A young whale which had become stranded on a north Wales beach has managed to free itself.
The animal, believed to be a young Minke whale, was discovered by Holyhead coastguards after around two hours of searching on Tuesday evening. A rising tide enabled the three metre minke whale to swim away just before 2000 GMT on Tuesday.
It is stranded on the coast at Afon Wen, between Criccieth and Pwllheli but there are hopes it will be able get back out to sea with the tide. The animal had been stranded on a beach Between Criccieth and Pwllheli in Gwynedd for two and a half hours.
Some onlookers suggest it could be a youngster separated from its mother. Coastguards sent a team to find the animal after receiving a report at around 1740 that the animal had been stranded on the coast at Afon Wen.
Coastguards sent a team to locate the animal after receiving a report at about 1740 GMT that it had beached at a spot between the rivers Dwyfor and Wen. Onlookers suggested the animal could be a youngster separated from its mother.
An RSPCA officer is on the way to the scene. An RSPCA officer was on the way to the scene before the whale which was lying half in water on the beach managed to swim away on the waves.
The coastguard spokesman said: "It is still alive and lying on the beach, half in water." It is unknown why or how the whale became beached or if it was ill..
'Quite choppy' The RSPCA and British Dive Marine Life Rescue - the organisation which assisted the whale that swam up the River Thames last year - were expected to examine the animal at the beach..
He added: "The tide is coming in and high water is expected in the area at around 10pm, so we're hoping there'll be enough water for it to swim away. Coastguards had helped to keep the whale upright in the water.
"But that depends if it's strong enough." Before the animal freed itself a coastguard spokesman said: "Its quite choppy down here at the moment and the waves keep knocking the whale on its side, which is dangerous if water gets in its blowhole."
It is unknown why or how the whale became beached or if it is ill. Holyhead coastguard said the whale had already been nicknamed "Myfanwy".
The RSPCA and British Dive Marine Life Rescue - the organisation which assisted the whale that swam up the River Thames last year - are expected to examine the animal later tonight.
Coastguards are helping to keep the whale upright as waves buffet it.
The spokesman said: "Its quite choppy down here at the moment and the waves keep knocking the whale on its side, which is dangerous if water gets in its blowhole."
Holyhead coastguard said they have named the beached animal "Myfanwy".