Beaches remained closed along False Bay on Monday as disaster response teams attempted to recover the carcass of a whale, Cape Town’s disaster risk management centre said.

“The crews are anticipating that by 2pm today, when high-tide sets in along False Bay, it will assist in making the carcass buoyant,” said spokesman Wilfred Solomons-Johannes.

“At this stage it is low-tide and only covers a person’s body at waist height.”

The bay has since been declared clear of blood after the 30-metre southern right whale carcass, found near Capricorn beach on Sunday, had been bitten several times by great white sharks.

The Marine Unit of the Law Enforcement Services has been placed on standby to assist in hooking up the carcass in order to tow it to the shoreline.

The Solid Waste Management Department will then use specialised machinery to hoist the carcass and transport it onto a flatbed truck to the Vissershok Landfill Site for disposal.

The beaches remained closed between Muizenberg and Monwabisi until further notice.

By Sapa