Copenhagen, 1 May 2026 (dpa/MIA) - A humpback whale that spent weeks trapped in shallow waters off Germany’s Baltic coast could be released later on Friday after being towed toward deeper waters.

Tracking data showed the barge carrying the whale nearing Denmark’s northernmost point — a gateway to the North Sea — where rescuers hope the animal, nicknamed Timmy, can return to open waters.

In preparation for a possible release, a safety net previously at the rear of the barge was removed, according to a livestream broadcast by News5.

The vessel, towed by a tug, was earlier located about 11 nautical miles from Denmark’s northernmost town, according to maritime tracking site VesselFinder. 

But the convoy was then briefly forced to turn back, tracking data showed. 

Martin Bocklage, captain of the support vessel Robin Hood told German public broadcaster NDR that this had been due to bad weather conditions. The barge was seen resuming its course toward the North Sea a short time later.

Team member Jens Schwarck had earlier said the whale might be released on Friday afternoon, though the timing remained under discussion. Rescuers are also attempting to attach a tracking device and preparing for the rapid removal of the safety net should conditions worsen.

Weeks-long ordeal

The male humpback, which is also called Hope by some, was stuck in shallow waters off the German town of Wismar for four weeks before volunteers managed to transfer it onto a water-filled barge on Tuesday.

Even before that ordeal, the 12-metre, 12-ton whale had repeatedly got stuck off Germany's Baltic coast before stranding in the Bay of Wismar.

Authorities and experts soon determined that the most animal-friendly path forward would be to let the whale die in peace, but a private initiative backed by the founder of popular electronics retailer MediaMarkt refused to give up, launching another bid to rescue Timmy.

The aim now is to release the whale in the deep waters of the North Sea, from where it could return to its natural habitat in the Atlantic. 

However, some experts believe Timmy has become severely disoriented. It remains unclear how the animal will react after it is set free.

Danish authorities told dpa that they would not launch a rescue attempt should the whale become stranded again.

The Danish Environment Ministry noted that strandings of marine mammals are "a naturally occurring phenomenon"and whales should generally "not be rescued or disturbed by human intervention."

Photo: dpa