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.
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.”
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It has not been confirmed if a second rescue mission would be launched.
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.
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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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.
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.
