Clacton stranded whale death cause may never be known

Social distancing and decomposition prevented a full examination of the body

The cause of death of a whale that washed up on a beach may never be known, investigators say.

The 16.5m (54ft)-long juvenile fin whale, washed up on the beach near Clacton, Essex on 29 May.

Rob Deaville of the Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP) said decomposition and social distancing stopped a full examination of the carcass.

It is believed the whale was picked up on the front of a ship.

Mr Deaville said the CSIP had "essentially been shut down during lockdown" but he was given special permission to go alone to the site to take samples and collect data.

Decomposition meant "the animal was too far gone for a meaningful post-mortem examination to take place", he said.

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The cause of death may remain a mystery, however he said the whale may have been picked up by the front of a vessel heading to Felixstowe or Harwich ports.

He said it likely "fell off" when the vessel slowed as it got closer to port.

The whale was spotted early on 29 May

There had been reports of a whale sighted on the front of a vessel in the days before it washed up near Holland-On-Sea.

The carcass was removed on 30 May.