Rescue teams in northern Germany are working round the clock to refloat a 30-foot humpback whale stranded in the Baltic Sea. Low tides have hampered efforts, and experts warn the animal faces a death sentence if it cannot return to deeper waters. The whale, which weighs several tonnes, cannot be pulled back into the sea due to risk of injury.
Experts gathered on Tuesday on Timmendorfer Strand beach to find a way to free the mammal after high tide failed to help. Earlier attempts with boats and drones also proved unsuccessful. The whale is still alive, breathing, and making sounds, though its condition is deteriorating.
Rescuers managed to turn the whale so its head pointed toward deeper water, but it later returned to its original position. Coastguard and fire department boats created waves in hopes of freeing it, but without success. Parts of a fishing net were found wrapped around the whale and removed.
Experts believe the whale is a young male, likely the same one spotted near Wismar in recent weeks. Police cordoned off the beach to prevent crowds from stressing the animal. Onlookers, including locals like Stefan Stauch, expressed hope for its survival despite the grim situation.