The condition of a humpback whale that became stranded in shallow waters of the Baltic Sea near Germany has deteriorated significantly since yesterday, according to Professor Bashek, head of the German Maritime Museum.
At a press conference in Wismar on March 29, Professor Bashek stated: “The whale’s condition has deteriorated significantly since yesterday. The animal is probably weakened and is no longer trying to swim away — otherwise we can’t help him at all.”
Nicknamed “Timmy” by the Timmendorfer Strand community, the whale was rescued for approximately four days before becoming stranded again on March 28. A safety zone of one kilometer has been established around the animal. Authorities have ruled out euthanasia so far, though experts remain cautious about the whale’s ability to return to deeper waters independently.
On March 23, German special services deployed two excavators to rescue the whale after it became trapped in shallow waters. These efforts initially succeeded, allowing the whale to move into open sea on March 27.
On the eve of the press conference, Holger Kraus, senior commissioner of the Wismar Water Police, warned that “the whale was likely to die.” He noted he had previously dealt with several whales of similar size and none had survived. Coast Guard patrols have been ongoing in the area to search for additional individuals.
