Whale swims up Thames River, then dies during rescue

No explosions or man-made screw-ups to laugh at this time. No, unfortunately, this is just the sad story of a 5-ton northern bottle-nosed whale that somehow found itself swimming up the Thames River in England. From the river’s banks, people watched in awe as the 18-foot creature swam through towns and cities. As it became evident that the whale was disoriented and was unlikely to find its own way back to the sea, a rescue mission was put into action. Cradled by a giant sling with pontoons on each side, the whale was hoisted onto a barge and began its return trip to the Thames Estuary and the salty sea beyond. It began convulsing and died just a few miles from where it was to be freed.

The BBC has a series of articles that cover the entire incident:

• Whale spotted in central London
• Thames whale amazes and intrigues
• Fears for health of Thames whale
• Lost whale dies after rescue bid
• Dead whale is examined by experts