A fisherman found a giant "balloon" in the sea, which turned out to be an inflated whale

Norwegian fisherman Dag Rydland came across a strange object in the open sea north of the island of Annea. What initially appeared to be a balloon turned out to be an inflated huge dead humpback whale.

"He was sticking about three meters above the sea. He was so big! I have been fishing for 27 years and have seen several dead whales, but I have never seen anything like this," Rydland told local Dagbladet.

After death, whales emit gases as a result of rotting, which leads to bloating of their bodies. According to Rydland, during his lifetime the whale reached 15 meters in length and weighed about 40 tons.

The fisherman did not approach the whale, as it could explode at any moment.

"I hope he doesn't wash up on the shore ahead of time. If it explodes, the smelly parts will fly away for many meters," Rydland added.

Scientists note that bloated whales are a natural phenomenon in the marine environment. However, their explosion may pose a danger to ships and people nearby.

The whale's whereabouts are currently unknown. Authorities are urging fishermen and sailors to keep their distance from him.