Whale carcass to be towed to Hout Bay

Update:Bruce Bodmer, NSRI Hout Bay duty coxswain, said:The whale carcass towed to Hout Bay from Kommetjie by the NSRI Hout Bay sea rescue craft Nadine Gordimer today has been confirmed to be an adult Southern Right Whale approximately 18 meters in length and weighing an estimated over 40 tons.City of Cape Cleansing Department are arranging the recovery and disposal of the carcass. Picture: NSRI Hout Bay. The whale carcass at the Hout Bay harbour slip waySee original media release below... At 10h45, Monday, 25th June, NSRI Kommetjie and NSRI Hout Bay duty crews were activated following eye-witness reports of a large whale carcass spotted floating 200 meters off-shore of Kommetjie.On investigation NSRI Kommetjie determined that it was imminent that the whale carcass would wash ashore at Kommetjie in the vicinity of the Kommetjie boat slip-way.The City of Cape Town (CoCT) Marine Animal Stranding Network were activated but as a precautionary measure NSRI Hout Bay launched the deep sea rescue craft Nadine Gordimer anticipating to reach the scene quickly to attach a towline to hold the whale carcass from washing ashore until a CoCT Marine Unit could get to the scene.The NSRI Kommetjie sea rescue craft Il Battello was also launched from NSRI Kommetjie to assist with maneuverability around the carcass while a towline was attached.On NSRI Hout Bay deep sea rescue craft Nadine Gordimer arrived on the scene a towline was rigged to the 12 meter Humpback whale carcass and the carcass was towed further out to sea successfully preventing the carcass from washing ashore.A CoCT Marine Unit arrived on the scene in their 5.5 meter rigid inflatable boat which is not sufficient to tow the estimated to be in excess of 36 ton whale carcass and the NSRI Hout Bay deep sea rescue craft will continue to tow the whale carcass to Hout Bay harbour where the CoCT cleansing department can recover the carcass for disposal.Bruce Bodmer, NSRI Hout Bay duty coxswain at the helm of NSRI's deep sea rescue craft Nadine Gordimer has said that they are currently towing the heavy whale carcass at about 3 knots and they expect to reach Hout Bay harbour at around 14h30. TO REPORT A SEA RESCUE EMERGENCY DIAL 112 FROM A CELLPHONE