Whale explodes after falling from crane

Passers-by in Montevideo were shocked to see a sperm whale explode above their heads recently, before its innards spilled out all over the street.

A video has emerged of a 25-tonne dead creature being held up by a crane after being removed from nearby Carrasco beach.

It eventually proved too heavy for the hoist it was attached to and slammed into the vehicle below it, before its body split open and blood, guts and water poured out on to the ground.

The dramatic scene is the result of a process sperm whales go through after they die in which there is a build-up of gas in their stomachs.

In the case in the Uruguayan city, people are seen in the video initially reacting in shock to the explosion of the whale, before realising there is no danger and smiling about the unusual incident.