[Video] Locals Help Rescue Massive Whale in Nghe An

On Wednesday morning, thousands of residents from Nghe An province's Dien Thinh Commune rushed to the local beach to watch the rescue of a large, stranded whale.

When the 12-meter, 15-ton whale of an undetermined species was found struggling to make its way back into the ocean, more than 20 volunteers arrived at the site with two excavators, drawing the attention of Dien Thinh residents, reports Thanh Nien.

Despite the creature's weak state and the appearance of several wounds on its body, the whale made its way back into the sea with some human assistance.

These marine mammals occupy a special place in the heart of many Vietnamese, especially in southern Vietnam, where fisherman visit whale temples to pray to “Lord Whale” for good luck, according to CNN.

VietnamNet also provides a bit of insight into Vietnamese whale worship: “For fishermen, whale is the sacred fish as it would come to rescue fishermen in danger at sea. Whenever a whale is found hurt and washed ashore, the first man who sees it will have to take care of the fish and even hold a funeral for the fish if it dies.”

[Photo via Song Lam Plus]