The beluga whale, which was initially rescued from a shallow bay in the Baltic Sea near Poel Island, has now been released into the North Sea.
According to the private rescue initiative responsible for the operation, the whale was no longer in the transport barge on the morning of Saturday, around 9:00 AM. He was also missing from his containment unit, which had been streamed live on camera.
The transfer process began with complications the previous day. Due to conditions in the transition zone between the North and Baltic Seas-specifically wind gusts up to 6 and wave heights reaching 1.5 meters-the towing vessel was forced to change its route and slowly proceed south. These conditions proved too challenging for the barge carrying the animal.
Later that evening, an unexpected incident occurred: around 7:20 PM, the beluga whale started swimming purposefully toward the exit point of the barge, as if trying to free himself prematurely. Despite this, the release of the whale into the North Sea eventually proceeded according to plan. However, according to wildlife experts, the whale cannot yet be considered safely rescued, as there remains uncertainty about whether he can swim and forage normally.
