25 Whales Guided Back Out to Sea in 6-Hour Mission After Getting Lost in River

“This is one of the most unusual and memorable operations I’ve been involved in,” Port of London Authority harbor master Lyn Kindlen said of the rescue

NEED TO KNOW

• A pod of 27 pilot whales became stranded in the Thames River, prompting a large-scale rescue operation on Sept. 19
• Crews from multiple organizations worked for six hours to guide 25 whales back to sea, though two died amid the rescue operation
• Experts say the Thames is not a suitable environment for whales due to shallow waters and lack of food

More than two dozen whales were rescued after getting lost and swimming into the Thames River.

Officials with the Port of London Authority first alerted the public that a pod of pilot whales were spotted in the tidal Thames, near Gravesend in a statement on Friday, Sept. 18, asking individuals to steer clear of the area “as not to alarm or hurt them or put yourselves in danger.”

The mammals, which can be confused for dolphins, were discovered the day prior by Marine Pilots.

“They were very confused; you could see they were heading off in all different directions,” Port of London Authority harbor master Lyn Kindlen told The Times. “It was very much about being patient. We had to keep stopping to assess them and keep adjusting the plan. We have a lot of vessel traffic and we couldn’t just stop the traffic. Of course the whales hadn’t read the plan.”

Crews with the British Divers Marine Life Rescue organization (BDMLR), Marine Pilots, and local authorities in Gravesham and Thurrock worked through the weekend to lead the pilot whales out.

“The whales are beautiful but, given this isn’t a normal place to see them, we are concerned for their welfare. We will continue to do all we can to keep them safe,” Port of London Authority said in its initial report.

The following day, on Saturday, Sept. 19, “a carefully co-ordinated effort” consisting of experts in eight boats began about 7 a.m. that morning in Gravesend to begin herding the mammals out of the Thames.

“It is rare to see a whale in the River Thames and especially a large pod. And that is because it is not their normal environment – the river is too shallow for them and the food they need is not available. This is not an environment where they do well and the worst-case scenario was that we would see a mass-stranding, with the whole pod eventually washing up on the foreshore and dying,” the Port of London Authority said.

Over the course of six hours, the crews were able to cover 20 nautical miles and rescue 25 pilot whales. The rescue took longer because some of the whales were mothers with calves who needed to rest.

Unfortunately, two of the marine mammals died during the days-long operation. 

One of the pilot whales exhibited signs that it was “unwell” and later washed up on shore Friday.  

The same happened to a second whale, and although it was able to get back into the water, crews believe it died later that day.

“We are working with BDMLR and the local authorities to recover and remove those animals and to work with Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP) to take them for autopsy,” the agency said.

After the rescue, Kindlen reflected on the successfully coordinated mission.

“This is one of the most unusual and memorable operations I’ve been involved in,” she said in a statement to her agency. “Herding a pod of lost pilot whales is not something I have ever done or thought I would end up doing! Seeing these animals up close was just incredible, but what impressed me most was seeing everyone come together at such short notice, to get on with the job, figuring out what was needed and how to make it happen – and ultimately, making a real difference.”

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“Together, we saved 25 whales. At the start we feared this could have a very sad outcome and I’m proud that the PLA and BDMLR came together to make sure that didn’t happen,” Kindlen continued.

The Thames is now believed to be clear of the pilot whales, but the agency urged people to report future sightings to port officials.

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