Former Russian spy WHALE Hvaldimir, who was rescued by conservationists in Norway, has been found dead

A white beluga whale that was first spotted near Russian waters wearing a harness, sparking rumours that he was a spy for Moscow, has been found dead.

Norwegian public broadcaster NRK reported that the carcass of a whale was found floating in Risavika Bay in southern Norway on Saturday by a father and son who were fishing.

The beluga, named Hvaldimir (a combination of the Norwegian word for whale – hval – and Russian President Putin’s first name, Vladimir), was lifted from the water by crane and taken to a nearby port, where experts will examine the animal.

Marine biologist Sebastian Strand told NRK: ‘Unfortunately, we found Hvaldimir floating in the sea.

“He died, but it is not yet clear what the cause of death is,” the spokesperson said. There were no serious external injuries visible on the animal.

Hvaldimir, a beluga whale first spotted near Russian waters wearing a harness, sparking rumors he could be a spy for Moscow, has been found dead

The 4.2-metre-long whale was first spotted by fishermen near the northern island of Ingoya, not far from the Arctic town of Hammerfest, in April 2019

Hvaldimir was spotted off the coast of Norway in 2019. The whale is said to follow boats closely

OneWhale worked with the Norwegian government to integrate Hvaldimir into a nearby pod

Mr Strand, who has followed Hvaldimir’s adventures for the past three years on behalf of the Norway-based non-profit organisation Marine Mind, said he was deeply moved by the whale’s sudden death.

“It’s absolutely horrible,” Mr. Strand said. “He was apparently in good condition (Friday). We just have to figure out what could have happened here.”

The 4.2-metre-long whale was first spotted by fishermen in April 2019 near the northern island of Ingoya, not far from the Arctic city of Hammerfest. It was wearing a harness and what appeared to be a mount for a small camera. It also had a belt buckle that read: ‘Equipment St. Petersburg.’

This led to accusations that the beluga was a “spy whale.” According to experts, the Russian Navy is known to train whales for military purposes.

When Hvaldimir was found, he was wearing a harness and what looked like a holder for a small camera. He also had a belt buckle that read, “Equipment St. Petersburg.”

The harness and camera mount led to accusations that the beluga was a “spy whale.” Experts say the Russian Navy is known to have trained whales for military purposes.

Over the years, the beluga was seen in several Norwegian coastal towns and it soon became clear that he was very tame and liked to play with people, according to NRK

Hvaldimir was estimated to be between 12 and 20 years old and weighed 2,700 pounds

Over the years, the beluga was seen in several Norwegian coastal towns and it soon became clear that he was very tame and liked to play with people, NRK reports.

Marine Mind reported on its website that Hvaldimir was very interested in people and responded to hand gestures.

“Based on these observations, it appears that Hvaldimir reached Norway via Russian waters, where he is believed to have been held captive,” the report said.

Norwegian media are speculating about whether Hvaldimir was used as some kind of “therapy whale” in Russia.