Kirchdorf auf Poel, Germany — April 25, 2026
A humpback whale stranded off the German island of Poel in the Baltic Sea remains the focus of a complex rescue operation, with authorities delaying approval of a new rescue plan Friday evening due to unresolved questions.
Rescue Plan Faces Delays
The rescue team’s latest strategy to free the whale hit a snag when authorities declined to approve the concept Friday evening. Till Backhaus, a spokesperson for the Environment Minister of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, stated, "Es seien noch immer einige Fragen zu beantworten" ("There are still some questions to be answered"). The remaining issues are expected to be resolved by Saturday, according to officials.
Central to the plan is the use of large sandbags, known as Big Bags, to create a barrier behind the whale and prevent it from moving further into shallow waters. Two truckloads of these bags were delivered to the port of Kirchdorf auf Poel on Friday. Meanwhile, a 100-meter-long trench is being dug from the whale’s location to deeper waters, with completion expected by Saturday.
Logistics of the Operation
A 50-by-30-meter water-filled barge is stationed in deeper waters, ready to transport the whale toward the North Sea once freed. Kirsten Tönnies, a key figure in the rescue effort, explained the method for guiding the whale onto the barge: "Notfalls müssen wir diese Hilfsmittel, diese weichen Schlingen, mit dazunehmen, vielleicht kriegen wir's auch so hin" ("If necessary, we’ll have to use these aids, these soft slings, but maybe we’ll manage without"). The whale could enter the barge through an open rear hatch, either independently or with gentle assistance.