Russian 'spy whale' found dead under mysterious circumstances | World news

A white whale accused of being a Russian spy was found dead under mysterious circumstances.

Hvaldimir, a 14-foot-long beluga whale, was found floating lifeless in Norway's Risavika Bay on Sunday by a father and son on a fishing trip.

The famous whale gained a loyal fan base after being found by Norwegian fishermen on the island of Ingøya in 2019.

He was discovered wearing a harness with the words “Equipment Saint Petersburg” printed on it and a (blank) slot for attaching a camera, sparking rumors that he might be a Marine spy who had escaped from a training tank at a Russian facility.

The Russian Navy is known to have trained whales and seals for military purposes, and Hvalimir was considered unusually friendly towards humans, suggesting that he had spent a lot of time near them in the past.

His name was a cheeky homage to his alleged undercover work, with Hvaldimir being a portmanteau of “Hval,” the Norwegian word for “white,” and “Vladimir,” a reference to Russian President Putin.

The whale's carcass was discovered by Storm Karolius Kristiansen, 16, while he was fishing for mackerel with his father when they happened upon the giant sea creature off the coast of the fishing village of Tanager.

Kristiansen told Norwegian broadcaster NRK: “At first I thought it was a capsized boat, so my father and I went to check it out.”

“At that point, a boat with some biologists was already there, following the whale.”

After the discovery, the couple tied a rope around the whale's tail and dragged it to shore to prevent curious passersby from gathering around them.

The 16-year-old said: “I was shocked. I never thought there was a whale in Tananger. I have never experienced anything like it.”

The cause of Hvaldimir's death has not yet been determined, but it is assumed that he was healthy and active just a few days before.

Marine biologist Sebastian Strand told NRK: “Unfortunately, we found Hvaldimir floating in the sea.”

He said Hvaldimir had died but the cause of death was not immediately clear, but added that there did not appear to be any major external injuries.

A team of experts will now examine the body to determine the exact cause of death.

Contact our news team by emailing [email protected].

For more stories like this, visit Visit our news page.

MORE: Readers react to Supersonic Oasis ticket prices and outdoor smoking ban

MORE: Joe Root's insatiable appetite for runs could see him break Sachin Tendulkar's records

MORE: Britain will halt some arms exports to Israel, foreign secretary announces

This website is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.