Isle of Wight: Stranded pilot whale dies despite rescue attempts

The MCA said members of both British Divers Marine Life Rescue and Needles Coastguard Rescue Team attended the scene.

However, Mr Blackley said when a vet arrived the whale was assessed and “sadly it was decided it was too poorly and had to be put to sleep”.

The council advised people to avoid the area during Sunday’s recovery attempt “in the interest of health and safety”.

Natasha Dix, the council’s service director for waste, environment and planning, said a “specialist collection” of the whale was being prepared via a pet and equine crematorium, which would take the body to a licenced storage facility.

“We are discussion with the cetacean stranding investigation group on the mainland who wish to collect the whale early next week to autopsy,” she said.