Humpback whale stranded in Germany released into North Sea

A humpback whale that had been struggling to survive after beaching near the German coast was released Saturday into the North Sea off Denmark, after being transported in a barge in a last-ditch rescue operation. The whale, dubbed "Timmy" in Germany exited the barge, blew air through its blowhole and swam off, said Karin Walter-Mommert, one of the wealthy entrepreneurs who financed the rescue initiative.

The whale was first spotted stuck on a sandbank on March 23 near the city of Luebeck, on Germany's Baltic Sea coast, before freeing itself and then becoming stuck again several times. Officials gave the green light for the rescue after veterinarians said the whale was fit to be transported.