Timmy the humpback whale, stranded in shallow waters in the Baltic Sea near the German coast, has freed itself and is now swimming away, German media reported Monday via livestream footage.
The livestreams showed the whale changing direction several times before moving off. Rescue workers had previously reported on Sunday morning that the animal had displayed "incredible responses" and great vitality, suggesting it might be able to swim away on its own. If that happened, boats would accompany the whale to ensure it continued in the right direction.
That scenario unfolded Monday morning, according to the German newspaper Bild. Rescue boats are now guiding Timmy toward deeper waters.
Timmy first became disoriented in the Baltic Sea in late March, eventually stranding along the German north coast in water only 1.5 metres deep. Rescue attempts to guide the whale back to the North Sea initially failed. At one point, a digger was used to help the whale return to deeper water, but it appeared completely disoriented, stranding four more times near the town of Wismar.
The effort to free Timmy drew widespread media attention both in Germany and abroad. Several media outlets broadcast live footage of the whale around the clock.
