Rescuers Issue Tragic Update on Humpback Whale 'Timmy' Stranded in Baltic Sea

A tragic scene is unfolding in the Baltic Sea, where rescuers made multiple attempts to save a stranded humpback whale.

According to The Associated Press, a humpback whale measuring between 39 and 49 feet long became stranded repeatedly off Germany's Baltic Sea coast. The whale got stranded one day after it was freed.

It's unclear why, but the whale never made it out to the open sea since first getting stuck there over the weekend. At one point, the outlet reports that the whale disappeared for a few hours before resurfacing Tuesday morning. The whale, ironically, was found near an island dubbed Walfisch, which means "whale" in German.

Greenpeace and local police sprang into action in the last few days. They first used an excavator to free the whale. But the whale, which was first spotted in the region on March 3, got stuck again.

What Rescuers Are Now Saying

The humpback whale, named Timmy, remains stranded and is unable to reach the open sea. And, after multiple attempts, The Associated Press reports that rescuers expect the whale to die where it remains stuck.

Rescue efforts momentarily paused to allow the whale to regain some strength. But the AP reports that drone footage showed little movement from above, prompting rescuers to arrive in boats to motivate the whale to make an attempt to reach the sea, to no avail.

Rescuers Ultimately Left the Area

It's reported that, after rescuers left, the whale started showing some signs of life, but not enough to hang on to hope.

An official said during a televised news conference, "We firmly believe that the animal will die there."

The grim update didn't sit well with those following the developments.

"I hate this," one person commented on the AP's Instagram post. "The world has billions of dollars and we can’t figure out how to rescue a whale?"