Teams mount Thames whale rescue. Watch the whale
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4633878.stm
Rescuers are attempting to get a giant sling underneath a whale which has become stranded in shallow water in the River Thames in London.
The 16-18ft (5m) northern bottle-nosed whale is in shallow waters near Battersea Bridge where vets are now examining its health.
Rescue teams will then attempt to manoeuvre it into a sling and then take it to shore.
The whale was first spotted in the river in central London on Friday.
A sighting of the whale, which also has signs of injury, on Saturday near the bridge in Chelsea, disappointed rescuers buoyed by an earlier report that it had been seen in Greenwich, which is closer to the sea.
I feel sorry for the animal and I don't think that the prognosis no matter what we do, is very good
Marine mammal vet Dr David Taylor
The whale, which could weigh about four tonnes, was first spotted at 0830 GMT on Friday by a man on a train and has since attracted massive public and media attention.
It soon became clear there was cause for concern, as the animal came within yards of the banks, almost beaching, and crashed into an empty boat, causing itself slight bleeding.
Crowds have again flocked to the riverbank to catch a glimpse, prompting appeals for sight-seeing boats to keep well clear. There was also concern that helicopters being used to film the rescue could be disturbing the whale.
Paul Jepson, a vet with the Zoological Society of London, was said to have seen the whale from a boat and expressed concern about injuries on its head and tail, and the disorientated manner in which it was swimming.
It was the first sighting of the endangered species in the Thames since records began nearly a century ago.
