MARINE animals experts are trying to find out why three minke whales died off the Essex and Suffolk coast.

A dead calf was spotted on a mudbank in the River Orre, near Felixstowe, on Saturday afternoon.

A 30ft whale, thought to be the calf’s mother, was washed up near Felixstowe Pier.

Another dead adult whale was spotted in the water near Harwich.

Onlookers in Felixstowe said the adult minke appeared to have been hit by a propeller.

Other potential causes of death include poor hydration, not feeding properly, or disease.

John Cresswell, from the Felixstowe Volunteer Coast Patrol Rescue Service, said whales could become disorientated closer to shore where mud banks interfered with their sonar.

He said two other minke whales are in distress and believes the deaths could be down to wind turbines as whales cannot communicate properly while they are in use.

He said: “This is a really sad day. I have worked as a volunteer coast guard for 21 years now and never seen anything like it.

“These creatures are beautiful and it we need to do something to something to stop this.”

The bodies of the two beached whales are expected to be removed by lorry today.

The British Divers Marine Life Rescue said minke were “quite abundant in the North Sea” where food is plentiful.

According to Whale and Dolphine Conservation, common minke whales are found in oceans all over the world. They prefer cooler temperatures, are frequently seen in coastal and inshore waters.

The estimated population of 209,800, including 174,000 in the North Atlantic. They are threatened by commercial whaling and hunting, chemical pollution and entanglement in fishing nets.