Whale swims for freedom after big German rescue effort on Baltic coast

Rescue teams now believe the whale has reached deeper water in Lübeck Bay and hope it will head for the wider sea.

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Rescue teams say the whale is now swimming a few hundred metres off the coast and they are hopeful it will then head towards the wider sea.

The humpback, which is about 12-15m (40-50ft) in length, was first spotted stranded near the resort of Timmendorfer Strand last Monday. Several attempts were made to free the humpback during the week.

Biologist Robert Marc Lehmann said the whale had built up its strength overnight and freed itself.

At first light on Friday, it became clear the whale had swum off the sandbank and Stephanie Gross from the Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research said a colleague was in an inflatable boat alongside the mammal.