Confused whale blocks Marseille marina
AFP - [email protected]
Published: 18 Oct, 2017 CET.
Updated: Wed 18 Oct 2017 16:43 CET
Rescue services in the southern French city of Marseille battled for nearly an hour on Wednesday to free what is thought to have been a large whale that got stuck in the city's marina.
The roughly 15-metre (50-foot) creature swam into the old port in the centre of the Mediterranean city around lunchtime and blocked the entrance, drawing a crowd of curious onlookers who watched as divers attempted to free it.
Responding to reports of a whale-like mammal which "seemed disoriented", a spokesman for local rescue services said it was the first time police had been called to respond to such an incident.
The local police department tweeted out several photos of the rescue operation (see below).
#Marseille #baleine baleine coincée dans une anse du port. @PoliceNat13 @MarinsPompiers objectif : libérer l'espace pour tourner le cétacé pic.twitter.com/S2TMRB0H36
— Police nationale 13 (@PoliceNat13) October 18, 2017
#Marseille #baleine Cétacé de 15m entré dans le vieux port. @PoliceNat13 et @MarinsPompiers mobilisés. Grosse sardine !!!! pic.twitter.com/sOJ9x9F4ax
— Police nationale 13 (@PoliceNat13) October 18, 2017
A variety of whales, dolphins and porpoises are known to live in the Mediterranean.
Earlier this month, at least a dozen injured dolphins washed up on beaches on the southern French coast, leaving local maritime officials baffled.
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The roughly 15-metre (50-foot) creature swam into the old port in the centre of the Mediterranean city around lunchtime and blocked the entrance, drawing a crowd of curious onlookers who watched as divers attempted to free it.
Responding to reports of a whale-like mammal which "seemed disoriented", a spokesman for local rescue services said it was the first time police had been called to respond to such an incident.
The local police department tweeted out several photos of the rescue operation (see below).
#Marseille #baleine baleine coincée dans une anse du port. @PoliceNat13 @MarinsPompiers objectif : libérer l'espace pour tourner le cétacé pic.twitter.com/S2TMRB0H36
— Police nationale 13 (@PoliceNat13) October 18, 2017
#Marseille #baleine Cétacé de 15m entré dans le vieux port. @PoliceNat13 et @MarinsPompiers mobilisés. Grosse sardine !!!! pic.twitter.com/sOJ9x9F4ax
— Police nationale 13 (@PoliceNat13) October 18, 2017
A variety of whales, dolphins and porpoises are known to live in the Mediterranean.
Earlier this month, at least a dozen injured dolphins washed up on beaches on the southern French coast, leaving local maritime officials baffled.
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