Overview
- The humpback, stuck for weeks near Wismar in the Baltic, slipped free with a rising tide then grounded again nearby, complicating the next rescue steps.
- State officials approved a plan to slide the whale onto a tarp using inflatable air cushions, lash it to two pontoons, and tow it toward the North Sea, with dredging work still under way.
- Two donors, Walter Gunz and Karin Walter-Mommert, are paying for the attempt, and the state environment minister says they bear full responsibility for the outcome.
- Officials and veterinarians say the whale is severely weakened with a skin disease tied to the Baltic’s low salt levels, with experts reporting skin detachments and suspected injuries.
- Greenpeace opposes further handling, saying the efforts cause severe stress and the chance of survival is very low, as police enforce a 500‑meter buffer around the site due to heavy public interest.