Germany launches risky plan to tow stranded whale toward North Sea

A 13.5-meter humpback whale known as “Timmy” is fighting for survival in Germany’s Baltic Sea, far from its natural Atlantic habitat, as per foreign media reports. Stranded in shallow waters near the island of Poel after first becoming trapped on a sandbank near Lübeck in late March, the animal is now severely weakened, with visible skin damage and suspected internal injuries.

After earlier rescue efforts failed, authorities had been prepared to let the whale die. However, two private donors stepped in to fund a final, unprecedented rescue attempt, prompting officials in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania to approve the operation as a last chance.

The plan, described as “minimally invasive,” involves lifting the whale using inflatable air cushions, placing it onto a reinforced tarpaulin, and towing it gradually into deeper waters. The goal is to guide the animal around Denmark into the North Sea, with the hope it could eventually return to the Atlantic.

Experts warn the risks are high. The whale’s condition has worsened due to the Baltic’s low salinity, which is unsuitable for the species, and it may have suffered internal injuries from prolonged stranding. There are also indications it may have been struck by a ship and entangled in fishing gear before running aground.

Some environmental groups oppose the rescue, arguing the animal’s condition is too critical. Others defend the attempt, saying it offers the only remaining chance. “It’s not active, and it’s certainly not agile, but it still showing there’s life in it,” a regional official said.

The whale’s struggle has drawn global attention and public sympathy, with authorities urging people to keep their distance. For now, Timmy’s survival depends on an operation never tried before — and time is running out.

By Tamilla Hasanova