Overview
- The steel barge arrived in Wismar on Monday afternoon for final prep, with crews planning a Tuesday morning attempt to guide the whale aboard for a tow to the North Sea.
- The plan uses a water-filled steel barge and a more than 100-meter channel dug to deeper water so the whale can swim in, with a tow expected to take roughly three days.
- Marine scientists and NGOs, including Sea Shepherd and M.E.E.R., say constant noise and vibration during the long transport could be fatal and argue the survival odds are very low.
- State officials say the proposed chest harness to steer the animal lacks formal clearance because required paperwork was not filed, as the privately financed effort proceeds under tolerated oversight.
- Veterinarians report serious but shifting health signs, including weight loss, lung water, mouth injury and skin damage, while a new underwater-capable tracker has arrived, a key vet is out of a coma, and the DLRG plans to end support on Wednesday.