Six helpers stood in hip-deep water off the island of Poel, splashing water by hand onto a stranded humpback whale named „Timmy.“ This visceral scene, captured in a News5 livestream, marked the start of a high-stakes attempt to save the animal from a slow death in the Baltic Sea.
A convoy of trucks arrived at the local harbor, bringing mobile cranes, massive floating pontoons and industrial piping. The operation isn’t a government-led effort but the operate of a private initiative that has assumed full responsibility for the mission, according to the relevant Ministry of the Environment.
A private initiative is coordinating the salvage operation
Walter Gunz, the founder of MediaMarkt, is driving the effort. He told the Deutsche Presse-Agentur that the whale would certainly die without this intervention. Gunz argues that attempting a rescue provides at least a slim chance of survival, whereas inaction guarantees death.
Entrepreneur Karin Walter-Mommert, known for her presence in equestrian sports, also leads the concept. She doesn’t hide the grim odds. Walter-Mommert admitted that the attempt could end lethally, stating that she would prefer „an end with horror than a horror without end.“
For Walter-Mommert, the current state of the whale is „unbearable to watch“ for anyone in Germany with empathy. To bolster the team’s expertise, the initiative flew in a veterinarian from Hawaii to assist the local crew.
Why experts view the mission as „actionism“
Marine biologist and whale researcher Fabian Ritter of the M.E.E.R. Association views the operation with skepticism. Even as he acknowledges the plan was developed with the best available knowledge, he warns that the mission may be more about „actionism“ than viable science.
Ritter told the Tagesspiegel that Notice too many unknowns to offer any real guarantee of success. He notes that even the people executing the plan cannot promise the whale will survive the process.
The logistics of a journey to the Atlantic
Environmental Minister Till Backhaus outlined a complex technical sequence for the rescue. The team must first wash away the silt trapped beneath the whale to create a clear space. Once the area is clear, they will position air cushions under the animal to lift it gently from the seabed.
The team will then place the whale on a tarp stretched between two pontoons. A tugboat will tow this makeshift vessel out of the region, through the North Sea, and potentially as far as the Atlantic Ocean to release the animal in deeper, more suitable waters.
Behind the delay in the early morning start
The operation didn’t start on schedule. Backhaus noted that the rescue measures should have begun early in the morning, but the team lacked necessary documentation and proofs to proceed.
This delay pushed the critical lifting phase back, leaving the whale in the shallow water longer than the organizers intended. The team now races against time to move the animal before its condition deteriorates further.
What is the final destination for the whale?
The plan involves towing the whale via a tugboat through the North Sea and potentially into the Atlantic Ocean, where it can be released.
Who is financing and leading the rescue?
A private initiative led by MediaMarkt founder Walter Gunz and entrepreneur Karin Walter-Mommert is responsible for the rescue and its costs.
