This photo is supposed to show the whale in the Baltic Sea.Image: DPA
The rescue of the animal was supposed to have continued in northern Germany on Friday, but by morning the whale was already gone. According to experts, he is still not saved. An overview.
March 27, 2026, 1:20 p.mMar 27, 2026, 3:51 p.m
What happened?
The whale, which was stranded in the Baltic Sea near the German coast, has freed itself. Marine biologist Robert Marc Lehmann confirmed this on Friday morning. Even before that, there was a report in the German media that the animal had disappeared during the night.
The whale swam off the German coast on Friday morning.Image: www.imago-images.de
Where is the whale now?
On Friday afternoon the whale dangerously approached the coast again, heading towards Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. Briefly in the morning he was on the right path towards the open Baltic Sea and managed to cross an area used by fishermen without getting caught in the gillnets.
It’s unclear whether he’ll get the hang of things. Marine biologist Lehmann already said that you can’t force the whale, you can only try to guide it. The goal remains for the whale to leave the Baltic Sea and reach the North Sea today.
To help the animal, six ships from the coast guard, the German Life Saving Society and scientists are accompanying it towards Denmark. From there the whale should make it into the Atlantic.
These boats escort the whale through the Baltic Sea.Image: imago
The ships have now followed the whale towards Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and are primarily intended to ensure that the whale does not get lost and stranded again. They try to guide him in the right direction with noises.
The route out of the Baltic Sea is tricky – the ships should position themselves between the whale and the mainland to prevent it from stranding again.
Apparently the whale has been traveling in the Baltic Sea for weeks and was spotted there for the first time in December 2025.
How was the animal able to free itself?
On Thursday, a rescue team fought until late in the evening to free the stranded whale in the German Baltic Sea. A channel was dug with excavators to make it easier for the animal to free itself. Divers were also on duty – including biologist Lehmann, who tried to cheer the whale on.
Especially in the evening, the whale moved further and further towards the safe channel, but did not reach it. For safety reasons, the rescue operation was postponed to Friday.
On Thursday there was an hour-long battle to free the whale.Image: keystone
According to German media reports, the whale moved around 40 meters from its original location towards the channel on Thursday. At the time of the demolition, he was still around ten meters away from it. The animal probably benefited from the fact that the water level in the bay rose about half a meter at night due to the wind, according to a coordinator.
The whale is said to be over 10 meters long.Image: keystone
Will the whale survive?
The whale is no longer stuck, but it is not yet saved. Robert Marc Lehmann says he feels “cautious euphoria”. At the same time, the fate of the whale remains unclear. “He is not in good health,” said the biologist. The remains of a net are still in its mouth.
Biologist Robert Marc Lehmann hopes that the whale will survive despite its poor health.Image: www.imago-images.de
Lehmann therefore does not dare to make a definitive forecast. “Maybe we’ll find him again and maybe we’ll never see him again. Or maybe a month later he’ll be dead on the beach,” he says. However, he would give the “cautious all-clear” if the animal does not appear on another beach in the next few weeks.
What exactly do we know about the condition of the whale?
Biologist Lehmann explained on Friday that it was a full-grown, old animal. Initially it was assumed that it was a young animal. It is estimated to be between 12 and 15 meters long and weighs around 15 tons.
It is difficult to say exactly what the animal’s health is. Biologists have recently been particularly concerned about the condition of the marine mammal’s skin. “She looks bad,” said Lehmann. The Baltic Sea has a low salt content, which is harmful to the animal’s skin. The condition of the skin is also the reason why a transmitter was not attached.
The whale may also have suffered from the long stranding. “He’s weak, he hasn’t eaten for a long time,” says Lehmann. At the same time, he said on Thursday that he assumed the whale did not come near the shore to die. The animal wants to live.
In the afternoon, Stephanie Gross from the Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research told “Bild” that she was optimistic about the whale’s energy. “These animals can go for weeks without food,” she says. “The whale here is well fed, so it still has reserves. “That won’t be his problem,” said the vet. (dab)