Crews Remove Deceased Humpback Whale From Dockweiler State Beach

PLAYA DEL REY (CBSLA.com) — Crews Friday towed a deceased humpback whale that washed ashore on Dockweiler State Beach back into the ocean.

According to lifeguards, the whale washed ashore around 8 p.m. Thursday near Playa del Rey.

Two boats waited for the water to rise high enough to help lift this nearly 50-foot, 22-ton mammal off the sand.

The decaying body filled the air with a strong smell.

Tissue samples are being taken to determine what caused the whale to die. Researchers said when they cut into the whale to take blubber samples, it was filled with parasites. The whale is a male, 10 to 15 years old.

This is not the blue whale that experts were trying to locate last week.