A humpback whale entangled in 800kg of fishing equipment has been successfully rescued off Victoria’s Gippsland coast. The rescue operation was conducted by specialized whale disentanglement crews, who cut off ropes and buoys to allow the whale to swim freely again.
Initial Sighting and Search Efforts
The whale was first spotted near Loch Sport in central Gippsland on Sunday, June 23, by a commercial helicopter. However, it disappeared until Friday when it was seen near Lake Tyers off the south-east coast.
Coordinated Rescue Effort
A large-scale rescue operation was launched by specialized crews from the Victorian Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA), Victorian Fisheries Authority, and Parks Victoria. The team initially attached a tracker to the whale to prevent it from being lost again.
Disentanglement and Equipment Removal
On Saturday, the rescue team successfully removed 800kg of tangled ropes and buoys, which had severely restricted the whale’s ability to swim. The police then lifted the equipment out of the water with a crane to ensure it posed no danger to other vessels or wildlife.
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