Rescue teams race to save trapped whale shark off Thai coast (video)
A massive whale shark’s dive turned into a near-death entanglement drama after it was spotted trailing ropes and fishing junk off Thailand’s Richelieu Rock, sparking a race-against-time rescue mission.
The search and rescue operation is underway in the Andaman Sea after the whale shark was seen with its tail trapped in what appears to be discarded fishing gear near the popular diving hotspot, Richelieu Rock.
The tangled titan, believed to be a mature whale shark measuring between 6 and 7 metres long, was first spotted on Sunday by divers and crew aboard the Deep Andaman Queen dive vessel during a routine scuba expedition.
Atthapol Charoenchansa, Director General of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation, confirmed the shark’s tail appeared to be snared in old rope or netting, likely the deadly leftovers of illegal or irresponsible fishing practices.
Efforts to locate the distressed animal have so far been hampered by murky underwater conditions. Despite failing to find the shark again themselves, the Deep Andaman Queen team reported two separate sightings of the same entangled creature on the day of the incident, said Atthapol
“All diving vessels around Richelieu Rock have been alerted.. They’ve been instructed to warn divers to keep a safe distance, for both their safety and the whale shark’s wellbeing, if it is spotted again.”
A coordinated rescue plan is now in motion, pulling in experts from the Sireetarn Marine Endangered Animals Rescue Centre, the DNP, Chulabhorn Research Institute, and the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources.
The operation is split into three specialist teams: one to carefully remove the entangling debris, another to help guide the whale shark, and a third focused on ensuring the safety of divers and the animal throughout the mission, Bangkok Post reported.
Officials warn the entanglement is a serious threat to the shark’s survival and are urging anyone who sees it to report immediately to the 24-hour rescue hotline on 1362.
One marine officer added, “Time is critical. If we can’t free it soon, the rope could cause infection, restrict movement or lead to drowning.”
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