Baby minke whale stuck in River Thames is euthanised ‘to end its suffering’ after getting stranded twice
A BABY minkle whale that got stuck in the river Thames twice was last night euthanised "to end its suffering."
The infant mammal became trapped in Richmond Lock in South West London at around 7.30pm Sunday - and was moved yesterday morning with hopes of releasing it back into the sea.
The whale, usually found in deep waters, was checked over by experts who sprayed it with water.
It comes after a 100-strong crowd gathered near the lock last night after spotting the whale stuck in the lock.
Jake Manketo, 20, from Richmond, said: “Everyone here is just hoping they get it out.
“We couldn’t believe our eyes when we first saw the poor fella, not every day something like this happens in Richmond.”
It is believed the whale was first spotted at midday a few miles up the river near Barnes Bridge.
Minke whales are the smallest of the great whales, growing to about 10m.
They can usually be found throughout the northern Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
Their range extends from the ice edge in the Arctic during the summer to near the equator during winter.
The lock is situated between Teddington and Richmond, comprising of three vertical steel gates suspended from a footbridge.
In 2019, a humpback whale named Hessy died in the Thames after being hit by a ship.
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The 33ft marine mammal died after getting stuck near Kent.
Her body was hauled out of the river was hoisted out of the water by a crane.