In brief
A humpback whale has swum off a sandbank in Lübeck, Germany, following extensive rescue attempts. Spotted stranded earlier in the week, the whale's successful return to deeper waters offers hope for its safe passage into the Baltic Sea.
A humpback whale has freed itself from a sandbank near the German coastal city of Lübeck, after a series of rescue attempts.
Rescue teams now hope the whale will swim out of the shallow waters of Lübeck Bay and into the wider sea.
Reports at first light that the whale had swum off the sandbank were confirmed by Stephanie Gross from the Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, who said a colleague was in an inflatable boat alongside the mammal.
The whale, which is 10-12m (32-40ft) in length, was first spotted stranded near the resort of Timmendorfer Strand last Monday. Several attempts were made to free the humpback during the week.
Eventually, two diggers were deployed on Thursday to dredge a channel for the whale to swim into deeper water.
Biologist Robert Marc Lehmann, who had tried to coax the whale into the channel, emphasized that it was crucial for the whale to remain in open water to be ultimately safe.
Early on Friday, Stephanie Gross reported that the whale was being escorted by several boats about 300m off the coast, marking a hopeful turn in the rescue mission.
