Stranded whale frees itself again off German coast

A humpback whale struggling in shallow waters off Germany's northern Baltic Sea coast has freed itself for a third time, a police spokesman told AFP on Tuesday.

After initially saying the animal had disappeared after freeing itself from a sandbank, police said that it had been spotted in the bay close to the city of Wismar.

The 13.5-metre (44-foot) animal has been struggling in the area for more than a week, having first been spotted in the early hours of March 23 near the city of Luebeck.

It managed to free itself from a sandbank there but ran into further difficulty after swimming eastwards.

It twice became stuck on sandbanks near Wismar, and over the weekend experts warned that its breathing rate had reduced.

Experts hope, nevertheless, that the whale may be able to make it back to its natural habitat in the Atlantic Ocean.

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Speaking on ZDF television on Monday, marine biologist and rescue coordinator Burkard Baschek said the lack of sightings was a good sign.

"We haven't received any further reports so far, which is good," he said.

"We can now only hope that it will eventually manage to make it under its own steam."

The whale is believed to be suffering from skin problems due to the lower level of salt content in the Baltic Sea compared to the open ocean.

It is possible the whale came into the Baltic following a shoal of fish or having been distracted by the noise of a submarine.

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