Baby humpback whale rescued after two days stuck on Gold Coast beach
A baby humpback whale stranded on a beach in Australia's Gold Coast has finally been rescued after two days. SCROLL DOWN FOR RESCUE PICTURES
Staff from Sea World spearheaded the rescue effort after the animal was found stuck on Palm Beach in Queensland on Tuesday.
Hundreds of people flocked to the beach to watch the dramatic rescue, which failed five times after the tow rope repeatedly snapped, reports ITV News.
According to the Gold Coast Bulletin, there was panic when the exhausted animal flipped belly up, and applause when it fought to right itself.
A special harness was then put in place, which allowed a motorboat to finally pull the two-year-old whale off the beach and back into the sea to cheers of onlookers and rescuers alike.
Sea World spokeswoman Tacha Mulligan says she is hopeful the whale will survive despite its traumatic ordeal.
Speaking to ABC News, she said: "We were working against the conditions - time was running out on us.
"It was the perfect time to go when we were able to release it. However, it has been out of the water but we are cautiously optimistic it will be OK from here on in."
It is believed the whale is now back in deep water, and is being monitored by Sea World crews.
See the rescue in pictures below:
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In March last year, a humpback whale was freed after becoming stuck in a fishing net. See the story below:
