Humpback whale spotted off in Falmouth Bay in rare sighting

A humpback whale has been spotted off the coast of Cornwall in a rare sighting, as two sailors captured the “incredible” moment on camera. Linda Cassidy recorded the whale in Falmouth Bay as it slapped the water with its tail, then rose and broke through the surface, known as breaching. Humpbacks are usually seen only sporadically off the south of the UK, and then always in the winter, but are more commonly seen off the Shetland Isles and Hebrides and increasingly in the northern North Sea. The sighting has been hailed by conservationists, who said it was an indicator the species may be recovering from near-extinction 40 years ago. Watch more videos at the Independent TV: https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/editors-picks Click here to subscribe to The Independent: https://bit.ly/Subscribe-to-Independent About The Independent: Making Change Happen. The Independent is the world’s most free-thinking newsbrand, providing global news, commentary and analysis for the independently-minded. Connect with The Independent: Check out our full video catalog: https://www.youtube.com/c/theindependent/videos Videos, daily editorial and more: http://www.theindy.com Click here to get the best of The Independent daily: https://www.independent.co.uk/newsletters Like The Independent on Facebook: https://www.fb.com/TheIndependentOnline Follow The Independent on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Independent Follow The Independent on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.independent Download the iOS & Android app: https://www.independent.co.uk/subscribe/app Help to support truly independent journalism. Every dollar you contribute will directly fund additional special reports and investigations from a free-thinking, award-winning newsroom you can trust - https://www.independent.co.uk/donations Subscribe to Independent Premium for exclusive content & live events: https://bit.ly/2MiOONB