An injured whale that became stranded in the waters off Hong Kong’s Lantau Island died in the early hours of Sunday, despite authorities activating a contingency plan to rescue the animal.
The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department announced the death of the whale, which measured about five to six metres in length, just hours after it was sighted in the waters near Tai O on Saturday evening.
The discovery of the injured whale prompted authorities to activate the contingency plan to rescue the animal and prevent the public from getting too close.
A department spokesman said on Sunday that a preliminary assessment of the animal by veterinarians from Ocean Park had discovered the whale’s injuries.
“During sedation administered for further diagnosis, the veterinarians found the whale in an extremely weak condition. The whale subsequently died during the diagnostic procedures at around midnight on [Sunday],” he said.
The spokesman said the whale carcass would undergo a necropsy to determine the cause of death.
