British Divers Marine Life Rescue called to a whale in trouble of the coast of Whitstable
The British Divers Marine Life Rescue received a call to a whale in trouble approximately 100m off the coast of Whitstable, on the North Kent coast. By 12.45pm, Local volunteer were on scene however the whale had moved away in the direction of the Isle of Sheppey and The Swale, a tidal channel of the Thames estuary. At first the whale was thought to be a minke or possibly a humpback, but as soon as photos emerged from a member of public who viewed the whale from Whitstable, it became clear that it was more likely to be a sperm whale; a deep water species not usually found around the UK. At 1.30pm, a further call from the Inshore Fisheries patrol boat who were watching the whale swimming with the rising tide into The Swale. British Divers Marine Life Rescue volunteers followed the progress of the whale by land and at 3pm found the animal in shallow water not far from where the last report had come from. The whale appears to be moving slightly although with the tide now dropping hopes for the animal finding it’s way back out to deep water are fading. BDMLR medics are monitoring its movement and behaviour More to follow
