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Race Against Time for Stranded Humpback Whale
24 Mar
Summary
- Rescue teams are trying to save a 10-meter humpback whale stranded on Timmendorfer Strand.
- Previous rescue attempts, including using police boats and high tides, have failed.
- Experts believe the whale, found with fishing net remnants, is a young male in declining health.
Rescue operations are underway in northern Germany as a 10-meter humpback whale remains stranded in shallow Baltic Sea waters off Timmendorfer Strand beach. Experts convened on Tuesday morning to attempt refloating the mammal.
Previous rescue attempts on Monday afternoon, involving police boats and firefighter drones, were unsuccessful. Even the midnight high tide failed to free the whale, which is reportedly still alive but in deteriorating condition.
Rescuers managed to turn the whale towards deeper water, but it soon returned to its original position. While rescue boats attempted to use waves to dislodge it, these efforts were also unfruitful. Experts noted the whale, weighing several tons, cannot be pulled manually due to injury risks.
Investigators found remnants of a fishing net wrapped around the whale, which they have since removed. Authorities have cordoned off the beach to prevent further stress to the animal, emphasizing the need to keep onlookers at bay. The whale is believed to be a young male, potentially the same one observed in Wismar port recently.
