Germany approves new rescue bid for stranded whale

German officials Tuesday gave the green light for a fresh rescue attempt for a humpback whale which has been stranded off the country's Baltic Sea coast for over a month.

The 13-metre (over 40 foot) whale and its struggle for survival have gripped Germany since the sea mammal beached on a sandbank near the city of Luebeck, far from its natural habitat.

After several initial attempts failed, two entrepreneurs came forward to finance a new rescue bid which will involve loading the cetacean onto a special barge and carrying it out to deeper waters.

Till Backhaus, environment minister for the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, said that two vets had examined the whale and believed it was "fit to be transported."
After his announcement, rescuers in diving suits could be seen next to the whale, standing in shallow waters near the island of Poel, with the barge close by.

People stand close to a stranded humpback whale in the Wismarer Bucht bay of the Baltic Sea off the island of Poel, northern Germany, on Monday. AFP

The creature, dubbed "Timmy" by some of the German press, was first spotted stuck on a sandbank on March 23 near Luebeck before freeing itself and then becoming stuck again several times.

At the start of April officials gave up on the animal, saying they believed it could not be saved.

But this triggered an outcry and authorities were persuaded to let the entrepreneurs come up with a rescue plan.

Some scientists have strongly criticised the decision to allow further rescue bids, believing they will be too risky for the whale and estimating the chances of success as low.

Backhaus however insisted it was his "absolute priority" that the mammal be rescued alive, and he was trying to "do everything possible to help" the creature.

The saga has sparked a media frenzy -- with non-stop coverage from TV channels, online outlets and social media influencers -- but has also led to angry spats and conspiracy theories.

Agence France-Presse