Horror at famous UK beach as baby dolphin dies surrounded by tourists
A BABY dolphin has died surrounded by horrified tourists at a famous UK beach.
Beachgoers were distraught after a failed attempt to rescue the young bottlenose dolphin in St Ives Harbour, Cornwall yesterday.
The dolphin is thought to have lost its pod before it got stranded on a sandbank.
A witness said that young children looked on as the trapped dolphin swam around in circles before the tide went out.
They told the Mirror: “It had been swimming in very close water and couldn’t get over a sand bank to get into deep water.
“A team of rescuers went to try and save it but sadly it didn’t look as though they managed to.”
Around seven people went out to the dolphin after arriving at the scene – but their efforts to save it were in vain.
After 45 minutes a vehicle took the dolphin’s body away from the sandbank.
Known as “The Island” despite being a headland, St Ives is popular with dolphin-spotters.
Both common and bottlenose dolphins feed on shoals swimming off the seaside town’s shores.
It comes after coastguards issued an urgent warning to avoid a popular tourist beach – after a heartbreaking discovery.
The body of a 30ft minke whale was found washed up on the shore of Romney Marsh in Kent last month.
Locals were told not to approach it – as they could get caught in dangerous quicksand.
Common minke whales can weigh as much as 5,600kg – more than a family car.
Dozens of starry smooth-hound sharks washed up on another UK beach – and no one knows why.