A 100-foot long whale carcass, weighing several tonnes, washed ashore near Arnala Fort in Virar West on Monday. Despite the authorities being notified, the government is facing difficulties reaching the site with the necessary equipment to handle the large marine mammal. The carcass is located near Channel Gate, north of the fort, approximately 700 meters from Arnala Killa village in Virar. “The whale was likely tossed ashore by the high tide on Monday. It’s now stuck in a location that makes it challenging for authorities to transport it for proper disposal,” said a local source.
Local fishermen speculate that the whale, an endangered open-ocean mammal, may have been injured by a multi-deck cruise ship or succumbed to sea pollution. However, the exact cause of death can only be determined through a medical examination. The carcass has remained unattended since Monday, drawing local residents from Virar and nearby villages, who are curious to see the enormous whale.
A source from the Maharashtra Maritime Board (MMB) in Vasai Taluka warned that residents have been advised to avoid getting too close to the whale, as there is a risk of the carcass exploding. “We have been informed about the whale carcass near Arnala Fort. Given its size, we will need to use large boats to move it to a location where it can be disposed of more easily,” said a forest official. In a similar incident in September 2021, a whale carcass was found near Bhuigaon beach in Vasai, requiring two excavators to dig the seabed for its disposal.