In Germany, they decided not to rescue a whale stuck in the shallow waters of the Baltic Sea

A humpback whale named Timmy got stuck in shallow waters off the coast of Germany in the Baltic Sea several times during March 2026. Rescuers repeatedly helped the animal to get out, but the whale returned and was trapped again. On April 1, experts decided to stop rescue operations — the animal became very weak, its breathing became irregular, and there was practically no reaction to external stimuli. A 500-meter exclusion zone has been set up around the whale, the authorities urge not to disturb the dying animal. All the details are in the Izvestia article.

Circumstances of the incident

A 12-15-meter humpback whale weighing about 15 tons was first spotted off the coast of Germany on March 3, 2026. The animal ended up in the Baltic Sea, an unnatural habitat for it, which is too shallow for such giants. The reasons for the whale's appearance in the area remain unclear: among the versions is a deviation from the route during migration or following a shoal of herring.

The whale was nicknamed "Timmy" — from the name of the community of Timmendorfer Strand, where he first got stuck on a sandbank on March 23. Earlier, in early March, he had already become entangled in fishing nets near the port of Wismar, but then he was helped to free himself.

Chronology of rescues

On March 23, a whale got stuck on a sandbank near the Timmendorfer Strand resort in Schleswig-Holstein. Rescuers have been trying to help the animal for several days, and on March 26, they deployed two excavators that dug a trench in the sand next to the whale.

On March 27, the whale was able to free itself and swim away into open waters. However, the very next day he was spotted again in the shallow waters off the island of Wallfisch in the Wismar Bay. Timmy got stuck again, this time in Kirchsee Bay in front of Poel Island.

On March 30, the whale tried to swim away to the depths, but soon returned and got stuck in shallow water. Rescuers on inflatable boats tried to guide the animal to the exit of the bay, but the whale changed course and swam into a narrow bay, where it ran aground again.

The decision to stop rescue operations

At a press conference in Wismar on April 1, experts announced the cessation of all further rescue attempts.

"We firmly believe that the animal will die there. The reaction to the people, to our presence, was practically zero," said Professor Burkard Basek, scientific director of the German Oceanographic Museum in Stralsund, as quoted by the Associated Press.

According to him, the whale shows only a greatly reduced and very irregular breathing rate, almost does not move.

Bashek explained that the conditions in the bay are unfavorable: the water level will continue to decrease by another 10-15 cm, which will cause the whale's body to appear more and more above the surface.

"We would have to push him so hard that it would be pointless, as he no longer has the strength. The chances of success are so low that we would consider it a pure mockery of an animal," stated the professor.

The reaction of the authorities

Till Backhaus, the Minister of the Environment of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, said that the authorities had tried all possible ways to save the animal.

"We did everything possible to give him a chance. This is a unique tragedy. But that's his choice," Backhouse said at a press conference, as quoted by NDR TV channel.

A 500-meter restricted area has been set up around the whale, which is controlled by the police. Drone flights are also prohibited. The minister urged everyone to leave the whale alone — any violations will be prosecuted by the authorities as an administrative offense.

What's with the whale now

As of the morning of April 2, the whale was still in the same position in Kirchsee Bay. In the morning footage from the scene, small water fountains were visible, indicating that the animal was still alive. However, experts do not expect Timmy to be able to free himself on his own, and predict his death in the near future.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.