Giant whale's funeral draws hundreds in central Vietnam

Hundreds of locals in the central province of Quang Ngai gathered at a funeral on Tuesday held for a giant whale that was found floating injured off the coast.

The ceremony for the 700-kilogram, four-meter (13 feet) whale was held in Binh Son District. People said they had tried to return the stricken whale to the sea but the giant mammal had grown weaker and died.

 

 

Giant whale's funeral draws hundreds in central Vietnam

Dead whale's funeral attended by hundreds in central Vietnam

According to local customs, three years after the burial, a shrine for the whale will be erected in a temple for worshippers to pay tribute to the giant ocean beast.

In April, residents in Binh Son District also held a funeral for a 400kg sunfish that died in waters off the Spratly Islands in the East Sea (internationally known as South China Sea).

Whales and ocean sunfish are considered sacred animal by Vietnamese fishermen. It is a common belief among fishermen that, by giving dead whales proper burials, sailors will be blessed with luck, good weather, bountiful catches and protection while at sea.

On Monday residents in the south-central province of Binh Thuan also held a funeral for a dead whale that weighed over 10 tons, the biggest seen in a decade.