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Thames Estuary dead whale sparks coastguard alert Thames Estuary dead whale towed to Sheerness docks
(about 2 hours later)
A dead whale has been spotted in the Thames Estuary off the Isle of Grain in Kent, Thames coastguard has said. A dead whale has been towed to shore from the Thames Estuary after it was spotted in the sea off Kent.
Coastguards are making plans for the carcass to be towed to Sheerness docks where Natural History Museum staff will examine it, a spokesman said. Thames coastguard said the whale, thought to be a humpback, had been taken to Sheerness docks where Natural History Museum staff would examine it.
Navigation warnings were earlier being issued to vessels in the area to avoid the whale, thought to be a humpback, while coastguards kept a watch on it. An alert was raised at about 07:00 GMT after the whale was spotted by crew on a nearby tug, off the Isle of Grain.
But it later drifted closer to shore, coastguards said. Earlier, the coastguard issued navigation warnings to vessels in the area to avoid the animal.
It was spotted by the crew on a nearby tug and reported at about 07:00 GMT. A decision was later made to tow it in after the whale drifted closer to shore, a spokesman said.