OREANDA-NEWS. Police and rescuers worked all night to free the whale, which was in the area of the river locks system on the Thames in south-west London. According to the BBC, apparently, the it was a baby of the northern minke whale — whales of this species grow to only 8-10 meters in length and are one of the main objects of whaling.

The management of the Port of London, which serves the hydraulic structure, said that the whale was stuck at about 19:00 local time. Within two hours, rescuers, fire crews and divers were working on the site, trying to return the whale to the water for several hours. Journalists reported, that the animal had some noticeable injuries. Veterinarians examined the whale to see if it was strong enough to return to the sea. Hundreds of people gathered to watch the rescue operation.

The animal, whose size was estimated at about 3-4 meters, was released around one 1:00 by the joint efforts of several rescue teams. The whale was towed along the river on a special inflatable raft, but he managed to free himself and swam away on his own.

Since the location of the whale is unknown, the townspeople were asked to report if they see the animal in the river again: it is not in the best condition and needs help. A representative of the marine rescue service told reporters, that the whale was emaciated, and it also had damaged pectoral fins.