Rescue effort underway in Germany to save stranded humpback whale

A major rescue operation is underway in northern Germany to save a young humpback whale named Timmy, which has become stranded in shallow waters off the Baltic Sea coast near Timmendorfer Strand.

The operation was initiated and funded by private entrepreneurs Karin Walter-Momert and Walter Gunz, with support from regional authorities in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Bild reports. 

Marine mammal experts and veterinarians have been deployed to monitor the whale’s condition and coordinate the complex rescue effort. Officials describe Timmy’s health as unstable, raising concerns about the feasibility and timing of the mission.

The multi-stage rescue plan involves first assessing the whale’s condition and clearing silt from beneath its body. Specialized air cushions are then expected to be used to lift the animal, allowing it to be transferred onto a platform positioned between pontoons. From there, rescuers aim to transport the whale out of the Baltic Sea and eventually release it into the open waters of the Atlantic Ocean via the North Sea.

Timmy was first spotted near the coast in late March and has stranded multiple times despite repeated attempts by rescue teams to guide him back to deeper waters.

Authorities say the situation remains critical, and the outcome of the rescue operation is uncertain as teams continue efforts to return the whale safely to its natural habitat.

By Sabina Mammadli