A humpback whale has suffered a sad fate after getting beached in east China three times. It was freed twice, but died on the third occasion. /Photo from Chinanews.com

More than seven meters long and weighing three tons, the whale was first found on the beach in Qidong City of Jiangsu Province on Monday. A rescue team spent five hours helping it find its way back to the sea. /Photo from Chinanews.com

But the next day, the whale was found stranded once again on the shoreline. It was very lethargic this time. Rescuers spent several more hours pushing the massive marine mammal back to sea, only for the whale to swim back to the beach, where it died. /Photo from Chinanews.com

Whale calves can easily run aground if separated from their mothers or disturbed by noises underwater, according to marine biologists. /Photo from Chinanews.com