Rescuers abandon hope for whale stranded off German island

More than a week of efforts to save a humpback whale stranded along Germany’s northern coast have ended in failure. Rescue officials have now accepted that the animal’s chances of survival are gone, leaving it trapped on the seabed near Poel Island in the Baltic Sea. The whale initially became lodged on a sandbank on 23 March, followed by a rescue attempt days later. However, it later swam into shallow waters near Poel Island, located further along the Baltic Sea coast.

“We’re of the firm opinion the animal will die there,” stated Burkard Baschek, director of the German Oceanographic Museum, during a press briefing on Wednesday.

Local environment minister Till Backhaus described the situation as an “exceptional tragedy,” emphasizing that rescuers had exhausted all options to give the whale a chance. He added, “We’ve tried everything to ensure it survives,” reflecting the emotional toll of the operation. Greenpeace marine biologist Thilo Maack noted that attempts to prevent the whale from entering a shallow bay on Poel Island were unsuccessful, despite the best efforts of the team.

The humpback was first observed in German coastal waters in early March, with suspicions that it had become entangled in fishing nets. Additionally, it is believed to have developed a skin condition linked to the lower salinity levels in the Baltic Sea. Late last week, hopes were raised when excavators dug a channel to help the whale escape into deeper waters. Yet, the animal swam eastward along the coast before becoming stuck again in a bay near Wismar.

Rescuers managed to guide the whale away but only as far as Poel Island, where it now lies motionless. With water levels expected to drop further, experts believe the creature is too weak to continue swimming. Baschek highlighted the whale’s declining condition, noting that its breathing and response to rescuers had worsened. He concluded that attempting to free it would be cruel, as the likelihood of success is minimal.

“A 500m (1,640ft) exclusion zone has been established around the whale to allow it to pass away with dignity,” said Backhaus, a key official in the northern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.