Whale Carcass Removed from Beach

By: Melissa Randall

Email: news@abc6.com

Twitter: @ABC6

JAMESTOWN, RI (WLNE) – The whale and its stench are officially gone. The 30 foot humpbacks carcass has been taken to mystic aquarium where scientists will run tests.

People trying to catch a glimpse of the Jamestown whale Friday morning, disappointed to learn it was already gone.

Joao Cruz, just one of the many people who wanted to see this whale tells ABC6 News “I’d like to watch the whale but I think I missed it. A little bit disappointed but you know, if it’s too late it’s too late.”

The department of environmental management was working with scientists from mystic aquarium towing the carcass out early Friday morning.

They’ll now being running tests to learn more about the humpback whales life history and to answer the question everyone is wondering; how did it get die?

Robert Van Herp who was also there to see the whale tells ABC6 News “it’s a very active bay area anything happened.”

The whale had become a spectacle at Beavertail state beach this past week with hundreds of people stopping by to see it.

It sat there for 7 days on the rocks, waiting until the tide was high enough for it to be removed. People we caught up with on along the path say it was time for the carcass to go.

“It was beginning to decompose and it was a dreadful smell. It was time several days ago for them to take it out” David Pomfret explains while coming to see what is left of the humpback.

As for now all we can do is wait since it will take a little while for those test results to come back.

Be sure to stay with ABC6 News for the latest updates.

WLNE-TV / ABC6 2017