Rescue teams in northern Germany are working to free a humpback whale stranded in shallow water of the Baltic Sea. Experts gathered Tuesday morning on Timmendorfer Strand beach, attempting to pull the 10-meter-long mammal to safety after Monday’s high tide failed to allow it to swim free.
Earlier rescue efforts on Monday afternoon, utilizing police and inflatable boats alongside firefighter drones, were unsuccessful. The animal, believed to be a young male, has been spotted several times in the port of Wismar in recent weeks.
The whale remains alive, breathing and making sounds, and occasionally lifts its head, according to marine conservation organization Sea Shepherd. Rescue operations are ongoing as the animal continues to fight for survival.