Rescuers on Thursday again attempted to free a humpback whale stranded on Germany’s Baltic Sea coast, employing a large suction dredger to remove sand around the animal.
Two excavators were digging a trench in an attempt to free the whale, which has been stuck in shallow waters at the Timmendorfer Strand beach since early on Monday, drawing heavy media attention.
The aim of the latest rescue attempt is to approach the 12- to 15-metre-long marine mammal slowly, partly so that it can get used to the sounds, said Sven Partheil-Böhnke, the mayor of Timmendorfer Strand.
The work requires full concentration as rescuers are expected to reach within a centimetre of the animal’s head, explained the mayor.
Excavator operator Tim Löhndorf told dpa on Wednesday that the plan was to dig a trench 50 metres long, six metres wide and 1.20 metres deep in front of the whale’s head.
Wind and currents would pose particular challenges during the rescue operation, he said.
Before the rescue attempt began, biologist Robert Marc Lehmann approached the stranded animal, which reacted with movement and loud snorting.
The diver’s assessment showed that the animal appeared to be in relatively good condition, said Stephanie Gross from the Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research (ITAW).
However, even if the whale can be successfully freed, it will not yet be out of the woods.
As the Baltic Sea is not its natural habitat, it must find its way back to the North Sea and then on to the Atlantic without becoming stranded again.
German biologist Robert Marc Lehmann is examining a beached whale stranded on the Baltic Sea coast near Niendorf. A new attempt to rescue the animal is scheduled for today. Daniel Bockwoldt/dpa