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Rescuers battling to save whale No hope of saving beached whale
(10 minutes later)
A 26ft (8m) whale that beached on a mudflat off the south coast of England has been freed during high tide. A 26ft (8m) whale that beached on a mudflat off the south coast of England has suffered kidney failure and faces being put down, rescuers said.
But the Northern Bottlenose whale is still in Langstone Harbour, off Hampshire, and faces being put down if it beaches again, rescuers said. The Northern Bottlenose whale became trapped in Langstone Harbour, off Hampshire, on Thursday and beached overnight during low tide.
The six-tonne whale has only a 40% chance of survival, experts say. It became stranded overnight at low tide. Rescuers freed it from mudflats using a special lifting pontoon on Friday but it has remained in shallow water.
Rescuers are trying to coax it out of shallow water into the deeper waters of the Solent. If the whale beaches again, it will be given a lethal injection, experts said.
Rescuers said the whale would die if it swims out to sea.
An operation to try to save the whale began on Thursday morning but was called off when it became dark.An operation to try to save the whale began on Thursday morning but was called off when it became dark.
It is said to be a young adult and is thought to be about 3,000 miles (4,828 km) off course. It was said to be a young adult and was thought to have been about 3,000 miles (4,828 km) off course.
Window of opportunityWindow of opportunity
The British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) resumed their operation at first light on Friday.The British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) resumed their operation at first light on Friday.
The whale was eventually placed on a pontoon, from which the creature was able to slip out into the water during a "window of opportunity" between 1030 and 1100 BST at high tide.The whale was eventually placed on a pontoon, from which the creature was able to slip out into the water during a "window of opportunity" between 1030 and 1100 BST at high tide.
Blood tests were also carried out to help assess its condition.Blood tests were also carried out to help assess its condition.
Rescuers used pontoons to free the whale from mudflatsRescuers used pontoons to free the whale from mudflats
Stephen Marsh, an advanced marine mammal medic with BDMLR, told BBC News they had about a dozen people working to save the whale and two specialist vets from the Zoological Society of London were on their way. Stephen Marsh, an advanced marine mammal medic with BDMLR, told BBC News they had about a dozen people had worked to save the whale and two specialist vets from the Zoological Society of London.
About a dozen firefighters, police, coastguards, the RNLI from Ryde and Hayling Island harbour staff were all at the scene, he said. About a dozen firefighters, police, coastguards, the RNLI from Ryde and Hayling Island harbour staff took part in the rescue attempt.
They are asking people to avoid the area to prevent distress to the animal. Extra boats could also prevent the whale moving away.
Mr Marsh said the tide had been coming in rapidly since dawn and rescuers were now trying to coax the whale back out into deeper waters in the Solent.
Dehydration fearDehydration fear
The creature is a deep diving whale and the closest water-depth required is off the Bay of Biscay - about a two-day swim for a whale, he said. The creature is a deep diving whale and the closest water-depth required is off the Bay of Biscay - about a two-day swim for a whale, Mr Marsh said.
The species feed on deep-sea squid, which are not readily available in the English Channel.The species feed on deep-sea squid, which are not readily available in the English Channel.
They also get all their water from food, so there was concern it was not getting fluids and would become dehydrated, Mr Marsh added. They also get all their water from food, so there had also been concerns it was not getting fluids and would become dehydrated, Mr Marsh added.
The animal is a young adult, between five and six tonnes in weight, and about 8m (26.2ft) long. Northern Bottlenose whales can grow to more than 9m (30ft).The animal is a young adult, between five and six tonnes in weight, and about 8m (26.2ft) long. Northern Bottlenose whales can grow to more than 9m (30ft).
It is the same species of whale as one that died despite a massive rescue attempt to save it when it swam up the River Thames in January 2006.It is the same species of whale as one that died despite a massive rescue attempt to save it when it swam up the River Thames in January 2006.
Solent Coastguard said it was not warning ships to avoid the area but was monitoring the situation.
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The whale beached overnight but was later freed at high tide