WISMAR (Germany), April 26 — A humpback whale stranded off the Baltic Sea island of Poel is set to be towed to the North Sea on a barge in a multi-day operation, organisers said on Saturday, reported German Press Agency (dpa).Felix Bohnsack, technical lead of the private initiative behind the plan, said the whale could be transported over about three and a half days past Fehmarn to waters near Skagen, more than 400 kilometres away. Its condition would then be reassessed.Authorities in the north-eastern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern have allowed the plan to proceed, regional Environment Minister Till Backhaus said, adding that responsibility rests with the organisers.
Veterinarians involved believe the animal is fit for transport.The plan is to transport the 12-tonne male whale using a barge. The vessel, currently near Hamburg, is expected to arrive off Poel on Sunday and be prepared for the operation, which could begin between Tuesday and Wednesday, organisers said.If the whale swims away or cannot be loaded, a tracking device attached to the animal would help monitor its position, although officials noted the device does not function underwater, posing a risk if the whale dives. Work on a new solution is under way, Backhaus said.Teams have also deployed sand-filled barriers to prevent the whale from moving further into shallow waters as water levels rise. The animal was first sighted in the Baltic Sea in early March and has spent much of the time in shallow areas, possibly due to illness. — Bernama-dpa