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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Whale trapped in river put down | Whale trapped in river put down |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| A 15ft whale which was stranded in a river near a busy ferry port has been put down by marine experts. | |
| They said they wanted to prevent the juvenile Northern Bottlenose, which has been trapped in the River Orwell near Ipswich since Friday, from suffering. | They said they wanted to prevent the juvenile Northern Bottlenose, which has been trapped in the River Orwell near Ipswich since Friday, from suffering. |
| Experts said it would almost certainly have died of starvation or dehydration if it had not been put down. | Experts said it would almost certainly have died of starvation or dehydration if it had not been put down. |
| The whale was seen on Friday afternoon and became beached in shallow water under the Orwell Bridge hours later. | The whale was seen on Friday afternoon and became beached in shallow water under the Orwell Bridge hours later. |
| Crowds gathered on the banks of the river as divers in boats tried to coax the whale back to the North Sea. | Crowds gathered on the banks of the river as divers in boats tried to coax the whale back to the North Sea. |
| Lying in mud | Lying in mud |
| Trevor Weeks, from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue Group, said the whale was in a "compromised position" and once vets could safely get near it it was humanely put down. | Trevor Weeks, from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue Group, said the whale was in a "compromised position" and once vets could safely get near it it was humanely put down. |
| "At first light this morning at about half four, five o'clock we were able to get a veterinary team out to the animal and we started the process of euthanasing the animal," he said. | "At first light this morning at about half four, five o'clock we were able to get a veterinary team out to the animal and we started the process of euthanasing the animal," he said. |
| He added that he received confirmation an hour and a half later that the whale "had finally passed away". | He added that he received confirmation an hour and a half later that the whale "had finally passed away". |
| Zoologists plan to carry out tests on the animal if they can, although experts said there was a good chance the whale's body could be washed away. | Zoologists plan to carry out tests on the animal if they can, although experts said there was a good chance the whale's body could be washed away. |
| Onlookers said the whale carcass was clearly visible lying in mud not far from the Orwell Bridge. | Onlookers said the whale carcass was clearly visible lying in mud not far from the Orwell Bridge. |
| Norwegian coast | Norwegian coast |
| The whale is the latest in a series to arrive on the east coast over the past 18 months. | The whale is the latest in a series to arrive on the east coast over the past 18 months. |
| Whales have appeared in the Thames, at Skegness, Lincolnshire, in The Wash off north Norfolk and the river Humber near Hull, East Yorkshire. None have survived. | Whales have appeared in the Thames, at Skegness, Lincolnshire, in The Wash off north Norfolk and the river Humber near Hull, East Yorkshire. None have survived. |
| Mr Weeks said he suspected that the whale began its journey off the Norwegian coast and found itself in the North Sea by mistake. | Mr Weeks said he suspected that the whale began its journey off the Norwegian coast and found itself in the North Sea by mistake. |
| He said experts were not sure why whales got lost and arrived in the North Sea. | He said experts were not sure why whales got lost and arrived in the North Sea. |