After weeks stranded, Timmy the whale freed

The humpback whale, nicknamed Timmy, who had been stranded off the coast of Germany for weeks, was released.

Rescue team member Jens Schwarck said the whale was released into the North Sea after being transferred to a water-filled barge earlier this week.

It had been stranded in shallow waters off the Baltic coast for weeks before washing ashore in Wismar Bay.

After authorities failed in multiple rescue attempts, a private venture backed by millionaires stepped in to organize efforts to free the whale, despite concerns from environmental groups and marine wildlife experts that it could cause further suffering to the whale.

Rescuers hope the whale will be able to swim in the deep waters of the North Sea and return to its natural habitat in the Atlantic.

Schwarck said it’s not yet clear if any tracking data is available. It was also unclear how the whale swam or was pulled from the ship and what its condition was.

The 12-foot, 4- to 6-year-old humpback whale was first spotted in the Baltic Sea in early March.

It is not yet known whether Timmy can still swim, dive and feed normally due to the web parts in his mouth.

Animal welfare organization Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC) said the rescue could only be deemed a success if the whale returned to the North Atlantic and survived there long-term.

He will also need to forage independently again, gain weight, and behave naturally.