These heartbreaking images show the body of a majestic blue whale fatally injured as it slept in a busy shipping lane. It was spotted floating near the surface of the Indian Ocean off the southern tip of Sri Lanka.
A gaping wound shows the horrific point of impact with the bow of the ship - leaving the gentle giant's tail fin in tatters. Marine experts believe the blue whale – an endangered species with as few as 5,000 left in the wild - had been struck by a container vessel.
The moving pictures were captured by diver Tony Wu, who wanted to highlight the blue whale’s desperate plight in a bid to reduce devastating ship strikes.
