The creepy cargo was lying on the tanker's bulbous bow when it entered the harbour and only slipped into the water when the ship was manoeuvred to its berth.
Is it the humpback whale from Rügen?
Speculation that the dead animal is the humpback whale that recently sighted off Rügen cannot be confirmed. A WWF spokeswoman told the Polish news magazine Interia Zielonathat the species has not yet been identified. It is possible that the ten-metre-long animal is a humpback whale, but it could also be a minke whale.
Unclear journey duration
It is also unclear how long the animal had been lying on the tanker's bulbous bow. The tanker was travelling with its cargo from the USA. The incident could therefore have occurred both in the Baltic Sea and in the Atlantic. According to initial assumptions, however, the whale became entangled on the bulbous bow in the area of the Danish Straits.
Mysterious cause of death
The exact circumstances that led to the whale's death are also still unclear. It is not yet known whether the animal died in a collision with the ship or whether the tanker struck the whale when it had already breathed its last and was simply dragging the carcass to Swinemünde. It is remarkable that the crew only noticed the whale hanging from the ship's bow when it arrived in Poland.
Uncertain whereabouts of the carcass
In the meantime, the Wolin National Park and the WWF have been informed of the find. If one of these organisations shows interest in the whale carcass for scientific research, the ten-metre-long body will be recovered from the water. Otherwise, the tanker's owner will be responsible for its disposal. The dead whale is expected to remain in the water until the weekend. A decision will then be made on what to do with the carcass.
