Removing dead whale from Bridlington beach will be a 'challenging operation' says council

The Fin Whale was spotted at 2:30pm May 2, struggling in the shallow waters of Bridlington Bay.

The British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) were called out to attempt a rescue, but as soon as the whale landed on the sands its organs were crushed under its own, approximately 40-ton, bodyweight.

A spokesman for East Riding of Yorkshire Council said: “Over the next couple of days we will be working with our contractors in an attempt to move the whale away from the beach in one piece, and we are liaising with zoological experts over the cause of this sad incident.

“We're really hoping it'll be finished by the end of tomorrow.”

“To help us, some roads and slipways will be closed, and we’d ask the public to please bear with us.

“This is a very challenging operation and the largest of its kind we have dealt with.

“The body has moved slightly down the beach overnight because of the tide.

“There will be a cordon and we are urging people to please stay away from the whale for health reasons, to help us deal with the situation, and also out of respect.”

Fin Whales are the second largest whale species in the world and the 17.6m long whale is thought to have been a male juvenile or sub-adult.

Whales can strand for a number of reasons, the main causes are thought to be disease, injury or navigational issues.