One of the three orca whales which had been in the Cork Harbour area for the past three weeks was found dead in the water yesterday at Roches Point, near the entrance to the harbour. Zoologists from UCC conducted an autopsy on the 30ft killer whale yesterday in an attempt to discover why the apparently healthy animal died.
The orca was one of a pod of three which arrived into Cork Harbour, near Cobh, and attracted hundreds of spectators who went out in small boats to see them frolicking in the water. At one stage the whales swam up the Lee estuary and were seen close to the City Hall.
Experts who converged on Cobh were concerned for the safety of the whales, and two weeks ago it was thought they had headed safely out to sea again.
But according to Mr Eddie English of the International Sailing School in Cobh the whales never left the harbour and continued to be an attraction up to Saturday evening last.
"I saw the three whales yesterday. They surfaced within two metres of my catamaran and seemed to be perfectly healthy. There is various speculation as to what might have happened.
"Some people are suggesting one of the orcas might have been hit by a passing ship or that they might have come into the harbour in the first place because one of them was ill. I think we will have to wait for the experts to give us their findings. They were in the harbour every day last week and were playful and clearly happy to be there.
"Unfortunately one was found floating at Roches Point at about 10 a.m. and so something must have happened," Mr English said.
The dead whale was later brought ashore at Crosshaven boatyard, where the UCC team of experts began its examination.
The two other orcas were still in Cork Harbour last night.