Fin whale struggling for its life in Danish fjord

Fin whale stranded in Danish fjord

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Officials say a fin whale is stranded in a shallow fjord on the western coast of Denmark and is fighting for its life.

Marine biologist Carl Christian Kinze says the 50-foot (15-meter) whale is unable to move and could be stuck on its belly. It is not known if the animal is ill or disoriented.

Whale experts are to assess the possibility of dragging the 30-ton baleen whale out to sea at high tide later Wednesday.

The fire department in Vejle, 140 miles (220 kilometers) west of Copenhagen, has been hosing down the whale to protect its skin from the sun.

Kinze says the last time a fin whale was stranded in the Vejle Fjord was in 1923.