Humpback whale freed from Sydney Harbour after 22-hour ordeal

A juvenile humpback whale was successfully freed on Friday after spending 22 hours entangled in ropes and buoys in Sydney Harbour, Australia’s largest city.

The rescue operation began on the afternoon of Thursday when authorities received a distress call about the whale’s plight. Rescue teams raced against time under fading light, but were unable to complete the operation before nightfall.

By dawn the next day, rescuers resumed their efforts, using specialized equipment to secure the whale in place while they carefully cut away the debris. The whale was finally freed just before midday and swam off into the open ocean, marking the end of its 22-hour ordeal.