An aerial photo taken on May 2, 2026 shows Timmy, the rescued humpback whale, offshore near Skagen after being released from a barge. The whale was first spotted stuck on a sandbank on March 23 near the city of Lübeck before freeing itself and then becoming stuck again several times. Sebastian Peters/Getty Images
Timmy, the 40-foot humpback that captured global attention after weeks in shallow waters, was released into the North Sea on Saturday. The operation was the fifth staged attempt to move the whale back to deeper water after it was first seen stranded on March 23 near Lübeck and subsequently became stuck several times.
According to the New York Times, two German millionaires funded a massive, water-filled barge used to shuttle Timmy to open water. Video of the release shows the whale exhaling spurts from its blowhole as it entered deeper water; viewers posted well wishes for the animal’s recovery.
Some experts cautioned the rescue might only delay an inevitable death, saying Timmy’s health had been severely compromised by prolonged stranding and repeated handling. The International Whaling Commission (IWC) had criticized interventions, warning they can impose significant additional stress on an already gravely ill animal and offer little long-term benefit.
After the release, the IWC acknowledged the “considerable technical, logistical and financial effort” involved but stressed that release is the start of any recovery process, not its conclusion. The panel said a successful rescue will only be evident over time if the whale can swim, survive the physiological effects of stranding and transport, return to suitable habitat, resume feeding, and regain health.
Tagging data from a transmitter attached to Timmy before release will help track how the whale fares and inform future rescue decisions.