Dead Humpback Whale Known as 'Timmy' to Be Autopsied on Danish Holiday Island

The decision was driven by recent weather conditions that made a 50-kilometer transport across the Baltic Sea to the originally planned autopsy site in Grenaa impossible. Hansen added that the whale 'represents a significant disturbance on the beach and must therefore be removed.'

The recovery will proceed in two phases. Over the coming weekend, crews will first pull the carcass ashore. 'The whale is in an advanced state of decomposition, and it remains important to keep a safe distance,' Hansen emphasized, warning that safety cordons on Anholt's beach must be respected because 'there is still a risk of disease transmission.'

Backer Criticizes Failed Rescue

The failed rescue effort has drawn sharp criticism from its main financial backer, Karin Walter-Mommert. In an emotional interview with video news agency News5, she said the team had worked for weeks to return the distressed animal 'to its habitat at the right place at the right time.'

Walter-Mommert described the morning of the release as chaotic, saying the rescue team was 'completely at a loss' because their own veterinarians were not allowed on board the barge. The team immediately distanced itself from the release, declaring they had 'neither accompanied nor arranged it' and had not been informed.

'We tore down 99 walls for this whale, only to find resistance at the last wall that we did not expect,' Walter-Mommert said. She insisted the initiative had followed all official requirements and fulfilled every condition. 'We all wish we could have that one day back and say: you have no say here.' She did not specify whom she was addressing.

Walter-Mommert also stated that a GPS tracker reportedly attached to the whale before its release is still 'with the Danes,' and she hopes to obtain it to read out the data. 'I believe every animal deserves a dignified end,' she said, adding she would be willing to have the whale towed into deeper water for that purpose.

Mystery Around 'Team Hope'

Meanwhile, members of a group calling itself 'Team Hope' arrived on Anholt on Wednesday to re-measure the whale and document the planned autopsy. A reporter for the Bild newspaper said the team wanted to clarify previous 'discrepancies' regarding the animal's exact length.

Unconfirmed rumors circulating among Anholt residents suggest that a visit by Danish King Frederik to Grenaa on Friday may have influenced the decision to keep the carcass away from that port. The royal calendar shows no official appointments for that date, however.

The whale's odyssey began when it stranded near the German island of Poel. The unprecedented private rescue operation transported it across the Danish Baltic Sea into the North Sea, but the animal was found dead shortly afterward. The autopsy aims to determine the cause of death and gather scientific data.