A roughly 10‑metre (32‑foot) whale remained stranded in shallow water off Germany’s Baltic Sea coast after a rescue attempt failed, authorities said on Tuesday.
The animal was first sighted early Monday near Niendorf in Schleswig‑Holstein and did not free itself during the overnight high tide, a police spokesperson said. On Tuesday, teams tried to suction sand from beneath the whale to create space, but the sand proved too compact, Stephanie Gross of the Institute of Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research (ITAW) said.
Rescuers have employed several methods, including using boats to generate waves, deploying drones and enlisting volunteers. They did manage to partially remove netting that had become entangled around the animal. Niendorf’s mayor, Sven Partheil‑Böhnke, vowed the town would do everything possible to save the whale.
ITAW said different equipment is expected to arrive by Wednesday afternoon, and a renewed rescue attempt is planned for Thursday.
Early signs suggest the animal may be a humpback, identifiable by its long pectoral fins. Public broadcaster NDR reported the whale sometimes emits “deep, muffled” sounds and appears weak. Police have set up barriers along the shore to prevent crowds from disturbing the operation.
It is not yet known why the whale entered the bay’s shallow waters; ITAW said it could be sick, injured, exhausted or simply unlucky. Marine conservation group Sea Shepherd suggested the mammal is likely a young male on migration and could be the same individual spotted in the area earlier this month.
Edited by Wesley Dockery.