A TEAM of marine specialists are trying to find out why three whales died off the Essex and Suffolk Coast.

An adult minke whale was spotted dead out to sea near Harwich over the weekend.

A dead calf was found on a mud bank in the River Ore, in Orford, on Saturday, and a 30ft whale, believed to be the calf’s mother, was found washed up on Felixstowe beach near the pier.

John Cresswell, of the Felixstowe Volunteer Coast Patrol Rescue Service said it was normal for porpoises to wash up on the shore, but not whales.

He said: “This was a really sad day, I have worked as a volunteer coastguard for 21 years and never seen anything like it.

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

Mr Cresswell thinks the deaths could be down to wind turbines as whales cannot communicate properly while the turbines are being used.

His other theory is that one whale was struck by a boat and the others tried to comfort it before getting disorientated and the young one was taken down the river.