A white beluga whale named “Hvaldimir,†first spotted in Norway not far from Russian waters with a harness that ignited rumors he may be a Moscow spy, has been found dead.
The Norwegian public broadcaster NRK reported that the whale carcass was found floating at the Risavika Bay in southern Norway Saturday by a father and son who were fishing.
The beluga, named by combining the Norwegian word for whale — hval — and Russian President Putin's first name Vladimir, was lifted out of the water with a crane and taken to a nearby harbor where experts will examine it.
“Unfortunately, we found Hvaldimir floating in the sea. He has passed away but it’s not immediately clear what the cause of death is,†marine biologist Sebastian Strand told NRK, adding that no major external injuries were visible on the animal.
Strand, who has monitored Hvaldimir's adventures for the past three years on behalf of the Norway-based Marine Mind non-profit organization, said he was deeply affected by the whale’s sudden death.
“It’s absolutely horrible,†Strand said. “He was apparently in good condition as of (Friday). So we just have to figure out what might have happened here.â€
The 4.2-metre (14-foot) long and 1,225-kilogram (2,700-pound) whale was first spotted by fishermen near the northern island of Ingøya, not far from the Arctic city of Hammerfest, in April 2019 wearing a harness and what appeared to be a mount for a small camera and a buckle marked with text “Equipment St. Petersburgâ€.
That sparked allegations that the beluga was “a spy whale.†Experts said the Russian navy is known to have trained whales for military purposes.
Over the years, the beluga was seen in several Norwegian coastal towns and it quickly became clear that he was very tame and enjoyed playing with people, NRK said.
NGO Marine Mind said on its site that Hvaldimir was very interested in people and responded to hand signals.
“Based on these observations, it appeared as if Hvaldimir arrived in Norway by crossing over from Russian waters, where it is presumed he was held in captivity,†it said.
Norwegian media have speculated whether Hvaldimir could have been used as “a therapy whale†of some sort in Russia.
A Canadian man who is trapped in Lebanon with his family says they are anxiously waiting for seats on a flight out of the country, as a barrage of Israeli airstrikes continues.
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Iran’s supreme leader on Friday praised the country’s recent missile strike on Israel and said it was ready to do it again if necessary, state TV reported.
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An Israeli airstrike on a West Bank cafe that the military said targeted Palestinian militants also killed a family of four, including two young children, relatives told The Associated Press on Friday.
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Days before rioters roamed the halls of the U.S. Capitol threatening to 'hang Mike Pence,' Donald Trump told his vice president that people are going to 'hate your guts' and 'think you're stupid' if he failed to stop the 2020 election certification.
Elon Musk will join Donald Trump at his rally Saturday in Butler, the Pa., the city where the Republican presidential nominee survived an assassination attempt earlier this year.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is set to announce funding to support French-speaking African countries and initiatives to promote the French language in the Francophonie.
Defence Minister Bill Blair says Israel has the right to defend itself in 'a calibrated and proportional way' following Iran’s ballistic missile attack against Israel on Tuesday.
A federal inquiry into foreign interference plans to hear from senior Global Affairs Canada officials Friday.
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A London, Ont. man, who pleaded guilty earlier this year in a harassment case, has been sentenced to two months in jail for criminal harassment of a Windsor, Ont. family.
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A London, Ont. man, who pleaded guilty earlier this year in a harassment case, has been sentenced to two months in jail for criminal harassment of a Windsor, Ont. family.
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An outfitter in Kenora, Ont., and two individuals have been fined a total of $9,500 for bear hunting offences, including abandoning a bear they shot and using it as bait to hunt another bear.
Two more Elliot Lake teens have been charged in connection to the break-in at the local arena last week and are accused of causing more than $50,000 in damage.
The jury has been sent to deliberate its verdict in Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial Friday afternoon after lengthy instructions from the judge.
He may not have logged the fastest time or even gone the full distance, but residents of a Newfoundland town agree the goat who unexpectedly joined the local weekend half marathon was the event's undisputed champion.
A mother in a community where the cost of living is one of the highest in the country says grocery prices are 'inhumane' and retailers are putting profits ahead of people’s basic human right to food.
A soccer game in England on Tuesday night drove a spike in online traffic across the Atlantic to a website launched by the Newfoundland and Labrador government.
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