'It was crying out for help' - Tragic update on whale spotted off Waterford coast

There has been a tragic update in the story of a sperm whale spotted off the Waterford coast late last month.

The whale was sighted at the end of March as whale watchers off Waterford but the story quickly turned sad after the whale left our shores and sadly died.

The Irish Whale and Dolphin Group issued an update this week, saying, "We’ve just received the word from Dan Jarvis of British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) that the whale died this morning [Wednesday]."

The group described it as "a predictable end to a whale that was in a difficult situation for at least two weeks, adding, "it’s remarkable given the lack of food or suitable prey for this apex predator in the shallow waters of the Celtic Sea, Irish Sea and the North channel, that it somehow managed to travel so far and survive as long as it did. Its journey and suffering are now over."

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Followers of the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group's social media channels were quick to vent after the death, with some blaming the polluted sea and depletion of their natural habitat.

One person suggested the whale was "crying out for help" as it visited the coasts of Waterford and later Scotland before passing away.

Another said: "God love the whale. Was either looking for help or shelter to die."

A third added: "I wish ordinary people would start taking care of the oceans by not eating fish and giving the seas a chance to recuperate."