Humpback whale dies after struggle with fishing nets near Omani beach

After fighting with fishing nets, a humpback whale has died near a beach in Oman, local media reported on Sunday.

The incident took place in the Al-Sharqiyah South Governorate and specifically in Sur province, the government's Oman News Agency (ONA) reported.

The outlet did not provide a specific date the death was supposed to have occurred, but said it happened "recently".

Nets are one key risk facing whales. The humpback is endangered and can be found in the Arab Gulf to the east of Oman, according to ONA.

The importance of safeguarding whales and other aquatic life, including dolphins and seabirds, was highlighted by Oman's agriculture, fisheries and water resources ministry.

It is prohibited to hunt such animals and there are serious legal consequences for doing so.

This is not the first time this year that a whale's death has been reported in the Middle East. In June, The National reported that a dead whale was discovered near the coast of Dubai in the United Arab Emirates.

Officials explained that "no clear evidence of marine debris entanglement or ship strikes" was found when examined by the Sharjah's environment authority and Zayed University.

The Bydge's whale, which weighed 15 tonnes at a length of 12 metres, did have multiple parasites in some of its organs. Additional examinations were to be carried out.

“Rare blue whale spotted in #Egypt Red Sea for the first time“ https://t.co/LfFYlCjXtv

— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) June 4, 2018

That same month, Declassified UK said the UK's armed forces had failed to look at the damage that could be done to the Arabian humpback whale population near Duqm, Oman.

There, the construction of a naval port was taking place. It was not immediately apparent if this construction had concluded.

In Israel in the aftermath of a storm, the carcass of an almost 17-metre fin whale washed up on a southern Israeli shore, an AFP photographer said in February.