A roughly 10‑metre (32‑foot) whale remained trapped in shallow water off Germany’s Baltic Sea coast after rescuers’ latest attempt to free it failed, authorities said on Tuesday.
The animal, first seen early Monday near Niendorf in Schleswig‑Holstein, did not manage to free itself during the overnight high tide, a police spokesman said. Rescuers on Tuesday tried to suction sand from beneath the mammal but were unable to because the sand proved too compact, Stephanie Gross of the Institute of Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research (ITAW) said.
Teams have used boats to create waves, drones and volunteers to assist the effort. They did, however, partially remove netting that had become wrapped around the whale. Local mayor Sven Partheil‑Böhnke pledged that “we will try everything to save the animal.”
A fresh attempt is planned for Thursday once different equipment arrives; it is expected to reach the site by Wednesday afternoon, Gross added.
Early signs suggest the whale may be a humpback, identifiable by its long pectoral fins. Public broadcaster NDR reported the animal can sometimes be heard making “deep, muffled” noises and appears weak. Police have set up barriers onshore to keep onlookers from disturbing the scene.
It remains unclear why the whale ended up in the Baltic bay’s shallow water; ITAW said it could be ill, injured, exhausted or simply unlucky. Marine conservation group Sea Shepherd said the mammal is likely a young male on migration and may be the same whale sighted in the area earlier this month.
Edited by: Wesley Dockery