Humpback Whale "Timmy" Rescued After Over a Month of Stranding, Successfully Returns to the Sea
The humpback whale "Timmy," which had been stranded on the German coast for over a month, was successfully returned to the North Sea near Denmark today after weeks of rescue efforts by organizations using a water-filled barge. The rescue was initially deemed hopeless by German officials but was approved after strong public protest and private funding.
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- 📰 Published: May 2, 2026 at 22:22
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Central News Agency
(Central News Agency, Frankfurt, May 2, Comprehensive Foreign Report) A humpback whale that had been stranded on the German coast for over a month and struggling to survive was finally successfully returned to the sea today, after weeks of rescue efforts by organizations. It was transported by a water-filled barge to be released in the North Sea near Denmark.
Agence France-Presse reported that Karin Walter-Mommert, a member of the rescue organization, stated that the humpback whale successfully swam away from the barge that transported it from Wismar Bay on the Baltic Sea coast at 8:45 AM local time today (2:45 PM Taiwan time). It is currently able to swim freely on its own, and at least appears to be heading in the right direction.
The humpback whale, affectionately nicknamed "Timmy" by German media, was first discovered stranded on a sandbar near Luebeck on March 23. "Timmy" subsequently attempted to escape multiple times but repeatedly became stranded.
German officials initially considered the rescue hopeless in early April and decided to abandon saving "Timmy," which sparked strong public protests. The German authorities eventually approved a privately funded rescue plan proposed by two wealthy businessmen.
However, after inflatable mats and buoy rescue operations failed, the rescue team decided to use a water-filled barge, which has now successfully returned Timmy to the sea.
According to DPA, before "Timmy" returned to the sea, it was reportedly fitted with a Global Positioning System (GPS) transmitter to track its future movements. (Translators: Kao Chao-fen / Editor: Liu Shu-chin) 1150502
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(Central News Agency, Frankfurt, May 2, Comprehensive Foreign Report) A humpback whale that had been stranded on the German coast for over a month and struggling to survive was finally successfully returned to the sea today, after weeks of rescue efforts by organizations. It was transported by a water-filled barge to be released in the North Sea near Denmark.
Agence France-Presse reported that Karin Walter-Mommert, a member of the rescue organization, stated that the humpback whale successfully swam away from the barge that transported it from Wismar Bay on the Baltic Sea coast at 8:45 AM local time today (2:45 PM Taiwan time). It is currently able to swim freely on its own, and at least appears to be heading in the right direction.
The humpback whale, affectionately nicknamed "Timmy" by German media, was first discovered stranded on a sandbar near Luebeck on March 23. "Timmy" subsequently attempted to escape multiple times but repeatedly became stranded.
German officials initially considered the rescue hopeless in early April and decided to abandon saving "Timmy," which sparked strong public protests. The German authorities eventually approved a privately funded rescue plan proposed by two wealthy businessmen.
However, after inflatable mats and buoy rescue operations failed, the rescue team decided to use a water-filled barge, which has now successfully returned Timmy to the sea.
According to DPA, before "Timmy" returned to the sea, it was reportedly fitted with a Global Positioning System (GPS) transmitter to track its future movements. (Translators: Kao Chao-fen / Editor: Liu Shu-chin) 1150502
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship you provide is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency "First-hand News" APP to get the latest news in real-time.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.