The body of a 15-ton whale found dead at sea last month was buried in a glass tomb in the southern province of B?c Liêu, allowing local people who worship the giant mammal to come pray at the site.

According to Hoà Bình’s authorities, the tomb housing the mammal was about 56 feet long and 23 feet wide. It was estimated to cost some $15,700, much of it contributed by local people who suggested preserving the giant ocean mammal as it is often worshipped as the God of the sea.
Hoà Bình’s People Committee chairman Trân Van Tâm said the tomb would serve as a scared place for local people to pay respects to the whale. He said it would also be a tourism site that could prompt the district to launch its plans to build an ecological tourism area sooner than expected.

Since news about the largest-ever whale found in B?c Liêu spread last month, thousands of people from all over the country have come to see it every day, encouraging a variety of food and drink vendors to set up shop nearby, said Lt. Col. Nguy?n Van  Ð?ng, head of the local border guard unit.
However, Kh?u Lê, vice director of B?c Liêu Department of Natural Resources and Environment, warned that the whale body would only remain preserved for “several” years, as the main preservative  formol, a 10 percent solution of formaldehyde in water  was used with limited amount given its giant size.

In the meantime, related agencies were yet to release the cause of death as well as the age and species of the whale, which was found dead some 26 sea miles off Vinh Th?nh on Feb. 21.