Stranded young whale put down

LONDON: A juvenile minke whale that became stranded in London’s River Thames has been put down after its condition deteriorated and vets decided it could not survive in the open water.

The whale, measuring 3-4m, was first spotted in south-west London on Sunday and was washed ashore at a set of gates controlling water flow.

Rescue efforts by the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) service and firefighters failed when the whale slipped its leash and then swam upriver, instead of towards the sea.

“The last 45 minutes we were with the whale its condition was deteriorating, its breathing wasn’t right and it wouldn’t have survived much longer,” BDMLR national co-ordinator Julia Cable said late Monday.