A rescue team has released from a barge in the North Sea a humpback whale that had been stranded in shallow waters near Germany since March, witnesses said. Nicknamed Timmy by German media, the whale was spotted swimming near Germany’s Baltic Sea coast on March 3, far from its natural habitat in the Atlantic Ocean. The mammal’s health deteriorated as it became repeatedly stranded in shallow waters, and unsuccessful efforts were made to coax it toward deeper seas. The environment minister for Germany’s Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania state gave the green light for the attempt to save the whale, despite some warnings from the scientific community that it may be too much for the animal.

A barge carrying a stranded humpback whale nicknamed Timmy has begun its journey toward the North Sea. The whale was spotted near Germany's Baltic Sea coast in March, far from its Atlantic Ocean habitat. Its health deteriorated as it repeatedly became stranded in shallow waters. Rescuers used a flooded barge and a dredged channel to move the whale. The barge is expected to travel around Denmark's northern tip. German officials describe the operation as unprecedented and successful. The whale's condition has sparked debate, with some experts concerned about stress, while others believe it is fit for transport.