The creature was two meters long and weighed nearly 100 kilograms, and it had no wounds on the body.

Pham Chinh Thai, 34, resident of Long Thuy Village in An Phu Commune, said he found the fish alive, so he asked two other villagers to help him carry and release it to the sea.

According to Thai, the dolphin was weak and it was drifted ashore again shortly afterwards. Villagers then carried it to the village’s cemetery for “sacred” sea creatures (whales and dolphins) and waited until it died to bury it in line with traditional practice.

Nguyen Tan Duc, who manages the cemetery, said fishermen believe the arrival of whales and dolphins is a lucky sign for residents in the village.

In 2006, a whale of nearly 300 kilograms was swept ashore to the village beach and it was buried at the cemetery there.