There is a sad update on the humpback whale that was swimming around Montreal's Old Port in recent weeks.

A beached whale carcass was spotted by pilot Simon Lebrun in the Varennes area east of Montreal.

Triste nouvelle, la baleine est échouée dans le secteur de Varennes. @rdimatin @RadioCanadaInfo pic.twitter.com/GnQMCsfFDM

— Simon Lebrun (@LebrunSimon) June 9, 2020

Groupe de recherche et d’éducation sur les mammifères marins (GREMM) has been closely monitoring the whale since it arrived from north up the St. Lawrence River two weeks ago. They issued a statement today regarding the carcass.

"Early this morning, a maritime pilot filmed and reported what appears to be a whale carcass at Varennes, Montérégie," it said. "It is impossible at the moment to confirm that this is the [whale] observed in recent weeks in Montreal, but it's likely to be him."

"A team of fisheries officers is currently heading toward the last known position of this carcass to learn more."

The whale had been delighting residents in Montreal since it arrived with magnificent displays of playful breaching.

Oh no. Montreal had a whale in its harbourfront and now it passed away. 😪2020 sucks. Photo by Steve Walsh pic.twitter.com/0M5gUyxi34

— Shelley Boucher (@mom2x4) June 9, 2020

It was believed to be the first time a humpback whale has been spotted in the area.

The whale that was in Montreal these last died and I'm so sad :( I'm truly sad about it

— Camy (@camilabtoro) June 9, 2020

Researchers estimated the whale to be between two to three years old and in good health. They had hoped the whale would eventually make its way back to a natural habitat roughly 500 kilometres north on its own.

A team of researchers has been dispatched to the location of the carcass to perform a necropsy and will provide updates as they become available.