7-tonne whale carcass found in Vietnam’s Lam Dong

The 11-meter-long whale, known as Ca Ong (Lord Whale) in local folklore, was found floating about two nautical miles from the shore near Binh Thanh waters in Lien Huong late on Saturday afternoon.

Due to darkness and the size of the whale, fishermen waited until the next morning to bring it ashore with the help of a crane truck.

They later held a ceremonial burial on the sand near the sea, following long-standing maritime traditions.

Locals planted flags and played ceremonial music during the ritual.

In keeping with local beliefs, the whale’s bones will be exhumed after three years and placed in a village temple for worship.

According to local fishermen, the whale is revered as a guardian spirit that protects seafarers from storms and dangers at sea.

When a whale dies in a coastal area, residents there traditionally organize a solemn funeral to honor its spirit.

Lien Huong Commune was part of former Binh Thuan Province, a coastal destination in south-central Vietnam.

Binh Thuan and former Dak Nong Province were officially amalgamated into Lam Dong to establish the current Lam Dong Province as part of a nationwide administrative restructuring drive, effective from July 1.