Humpback whale stranded again off German coast - just days after rescue

## Summary
Humpback whale stranded again off German coast - just days after rescue The whale is reported to have become stuck again in Wismar Bay, north Germany, on Saturday, to the east of where it became stranded earlier this week. Pic: AP Why you can trust Sky News A humpback whale has once again become stranded in the Baltic Sea, just days after rescuers in Germany helped set it free. Pic: AP On Saturday, Greenpeace confirmed to German news agency dpa that the whale had become stuck again, dashing hopes that it had made its way to safety in the Atlantic Ocean. A spokesperson for Mecklenburg-Pomerania's environment ministry said: "After managing to free itself from its plight, the whale was spotted again at noon today in Wismar Bay." More on Germany Whale freed by rescuers after days stranded on Baltic coast Stranded whale rescue running out of time as 'exhausted' humpback remains stuck in Baltic Sea Masked fan unplugs VAR monitor during German football match Related Topics: Germany It has not been confirmed if a second rescue mission would be launched.

## Article Content
Humpback whale stranded again off German coast - just days after rescue
The whale is reported to have become stuck again in Wismar Bay, north Germany, on Saturday, to the east of where it became stranded earlier this week.
Saturday 28 March 2026 16:33, UK
Image:
The whale as become stranded again. Pic: AP
Why you can trust Sky News
A humpback whale has once again become stranded in the Baltic Sea, just days after rescuers in Germany helped set it free.
The whale became stuck again in the waters off Wismar Bay, in north
Germany
, on Saturday, local media reports.
Rescuers launched a complicated rescue operation to free the 12-15m (39-49ft) whale earlier this week, after it became
stranded
on a sandbank at Timmendorfer Strand beach.
After crews used an excavator to dig an escape tunnel on Thursday, the mammal
managed to swim free early on Friday.
It was later spotted further east, near the coastal town of Wismar, in the German state of Mecklenburg-Pomerania.
Image:
The humpback whale stranded again in Wismar Bay on Saturday. Pic: AP
On Saturday, Greenpeace confirmed to German news agency dpa that the whale had become stuck again, dashing hopes that it had made its way to safety in the Atlantic Ocean.
A spokesperson for Mecklenburg-Pomerania's environment ministry said: "After managing to free itself from its plight, the whale was spotted again at noon today in Wismar Bay."
More on Germany
Whale freed by rescuers after days stranded on Baltic coast
Stranded whale rescue running out of time as 'exhausted' humpback remains stuck in Baltic Sea
Masked fan unplugs VAR monitor during German football match
Related Topics:
Germany
It has not been confirmed if a second rescue mission would be launched.
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Whale freed by rescuers
The initial rescue operation hit the headlines both in Germany and around the world, with local media sending news alerts of updates on its progress and streaming live video from the scene.
Authorities also attempted to coax the whale back towards deeper water by using coastguard and fire department boats to create large waves.
Image:
Pic: DPA/AP
The rescue team tried to encourage the whale to swim along a trench dug for it by generating lots of noise, and the animal reportedly responded with a humming sound.
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Image:
Animal rights activist Robert Marc Lehmann stands next to the stranded 10-meter-long humback whale.
Pic: Reuters
The whale likely made its way to the Baltic Sea from the Atlantic Ocean, but it will not be able to survive there for long.
The salt concentration of the water isn't high enough for humpbacks, and it will not be able to find the right kind of nutrition.
Image:
Pic: DPA/AP
The whale has already developed a skin condition, according to local media.
Some experts suggested that the animal may have lost its way when it swam after a shoal of herring.
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Others speculated that the whale is likely a male, as males tend to migrate.
If it is to survive, it will need to return to the Atlantic Ocean, which is a journey of several hundred kilometres through German and Danish waters.
Related Topics
Germany

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## Expert Analysis

### Merits
- You need javascript enabled to view this content 1:13 Enable javascript to share Share Whale freed by rescuers The initial rescue operation hit the headlines both in Germany and around the world, with local media sending news alerts of updates on its progress and streaming live video from the scene.

### Areas for Consideration
N/A

### Implications
- Pic: Reuters The whale likely made its way to the Baltic Sea from the Atlantic Ocean, but it will not be able to survive there for long.
- The salt concentration of the water isn't high enough for humpbacks, and it will not be able to find the right kind of nutrition.
- Some experts suggested that the animal may have lost its way when it swam after a shoal of herring.
- If it is to survive, it will need to return to the Atlantic Ocean, which is a journey of several hundred kilometres through German and Danish waters.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers whale, stranded, germany topics. Notable strengths include discussion of whale. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 584.