Very large minke whale found dead

The large dead minke whale being lifted out of the water in Vueltas harbour (Image: Speedy Adventure)

A very large minke whale was discovered floating dead in the Atlantic just off La Gomera not far from the harbour of Valle Gran Rey on Saturday. The carcass was towed into the port and lifted out of the water with the crane on the pier and onto a council truck for disposal. The minke whale showed no visible signs of injuries and further examinations and tests were to be carried out to determine the cause of death. However experts were surprised at the unusually large size of the marine mammal. This male dead minke whale measured about eight metres in length (25 ft), which is a metre longer than normally encountered. The waters just off the south coast of La Gomera are a popular spot for whale watching and more than 30 species of marine mammals have been sighted there.

Almost too large for the council lorry (Image: RTVC)