Beluga whale that strayed into River Seine dies during rescue operation

Whale had been lifted out of river as part of ambitious attempt to return it to sea

A beluga whale that strayed into the River Seine and began swimming in the direction of Paris has died during an ambitious rescue effort intended to help it back to its traditional cold Arctic waters.

The four-metre animal was euthanised by vets after it developed breathing difficulties while being transferred by road to the Normandy coast. Hours earlier, it had been lifted out of the freshwater of the Seine, where it could not survive.