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Whale transported to North Sea after weeks stranded
A humpback whale, trapped in shallow waters off Germany's Baltic coast for over five weeks, was successfully moved to deeper waters on Tuesday via a specially equipped barge. The operation, funded by two German entrepreneurs, aims to guide the animal to the North Sea within two days.
Operation draws national attention
Earlier attempts to coax the whale away from the coast failed, but Tuesday's mission saw the animal swim into a water-filled barge. The effort has captivated Germany, with Environment Minister Till Backhaus of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern calling it a "shining example" of what collective action can achieve.
"If everything goes well, it will be in the North Sea in two days. The whale is doing very well-it even sang during the night."
Till Backhaus, Environment Minister of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Funders and team celebrate breakthrough
Karin Walter-Mommert and Walter Gunz, the entrepreneurs who financed the rescue, expressed relief and joy. "I can't even say how happy I am," Walter-Mommert said, while Gunz admitted he had "never prayed so much" in his life.
Felix Bohnsack, the mission's technical lead, praised the collaboration between government agencies and volunteers, including the German Lifeguard Association (DLRG). However, he cautioned that the team was not yet "out of the woods."
Experts divided on whale's survival chances
Marine biologists and conservation groups remain skeptical about the whale's long-term prospects. The International Whaling Commission (IWC) described the animal as "severely compromised," while Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) warned that its skin, damaged by low salinity in the Baltic, would need to heal and that the whale must resume feeding independently for the rescue to succeed.
Fabian Ritter, a marine biologist, told the German press agency DPA that the whale demonstrated a "will to live," but noted the unprecedented nature of the mission. "We don't know what effect this will have on the whale," he said.
The German Oceanographic Museum added that the whale's weakness put it at risk of drowning.
Journey to the North Sea underway
The barge Fortuna B, towing the whale, left German waters on Tuesday and entered Danish territory. It is now navigating along the Jutland coast, en route to the Skagerrak strait and the North Sea.
The whale's ordeal began in late March when it became entangled in fishing nets. First spotted near Timmendorfer Beach in Lübeck Bay, it later moved east to Wismar Bay before settling in shallow waters off Poel Island, where it remained until the rescue.
Symbol of hope for Germans
The whale, nicknamed "Timmy" (after Timmendorfer Beach) or "Hope" by rescuers and media, became a national symbol. Bohnsack described the moment it entered the barge as "inconceivable," adding, "We had tears in our eyes. These are images I will never forget."
