Tourists warned of the danger of sperm whale carcasses exploding off the North Sea coast

The problem is becoming widespread

The shores of the North Sea have become deadly for tourists vacationing there. The British organization Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) has warned that the carcasses of huge sperm whales thrown onto land could explode at any moment, literally like a balloon, due to the accumulation of toxic gases in them. Moreover, deadly mud is spilled around the whales.

The carcasses of two sperm whales have washed up on the banks of the River Humber near Cape Spurn in East Yorkshire, while another lies on Humberston Fitties beach in Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire. They attract the attention of tourists, who are urged not to get too close to the animals.

Experts say toxic gases will accumulate inside dead whales. Because corpses inflate like balloons, the slightest touch can burst them.

In addition to the risk of explosion, deadly mud is spilled around the corpses. UK-based Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) said conditions around the whales were “extremely dangerous”.

Adult sperm whales can grow up to 60 feet (about 18 meters) in length and weigh almost 50 tons. This species of whale has been known to strand on both sides of the Atlantic.

Elise Perry captured video of the whale struggling with the waves before washing ashore in Venice Beach, Florida. She added that no one was able to help the whale due to the storm and harsh weather conditions: “The water was too rough and the weather conditions made it difficult to help the whale. This is all very sad. I’m very curious to see what they find after testing.”

Bebe Barcus also captured heartbreaking video of a huge whale carcass lying on the beach where it washed ashore on March 10.

Barcus says the sperm whale died shortly after washing ashore. She added: “A sick sperm whale washed ashore on Sunday. By Monday he had sadly passed away. I walked along the beach to an area that was roped off to take video while local officials performed a necropsy on a dead sperm whale. It was shocking and very sad to see a beautiful whale dead on the beach.”

In September 2023, a group of whale watchers from a sailing expedition in California captured horrific video of a dead humpback whale floating in the sea moments before it exploded. The horrific video has taken the Internet by storm.

Last November, a 54ft fin whale found washed ashore on Fistral Beach in Newquay, Cornwall, made headlines amid fears it too might explode.

Dead whales often explode when gases accumulate inside their large carcasses, and autopsies not only help determine the cause of death, but also release the gas to prevent detonation.

Cornwall Wildlife Trust marine statistician Anthea Hawtrey-Collier said the dead whale was a very sad sight: “The Cornwall marine pathology team have been given permission to carry out a necropsy on site. The results should help us understand why this animal died, the health of our seas and how these animals fare in our waters. Fin whale strandings are still quite rare, but they are more commonly seen in the sea off our coast.”

Cornwall Wildlife Trust said it was alerted to the dead whale at 7.10am on Wednesday morning and sent its team of volunteers to the area.

Passersby were ordered to stay away from the body and the area was cordoned off by authorities.