A 30-foot humpback whale has been stranded on Germany's northern coast since March 23 — and its prognosis is looking grim.

The whale is stuck in shallow water in the Baltic Sea, but rescuers can't simply forklift the whale back into deeper water without risking serious injury to the animal. The high tides haven't been enough to help the animal swim back into the ocean either, leaving rescuers in a race against the clock.

“If the whale can’t get off the beach, it’s a death sentence for the animal,” Sven Biertümpfel of Sea Shepherd told German outlet NDR (via AP). He also said that "the whale's condition is deteriorating by the hour."

Excavators Dig Channel Next to Whale's Head

Blue Newshas been tracking the entire rescue mission live. On March 24, rescuers were able to successfully turn the whale in a direction that would make it easier to swim out, but the whale remained stuck. Police boats also tried to make waves in the sea, making it easier for the whale to swim.

Since March 25, the plan has been to dig a 50-meter-long channel in front of the whale's head with two shovel dredgers. But stormy weather has made the planned excavation difficult. Nonetheless, the excavators got all the way up to the whale's head, with a diver even encouraging the whale to swim through the channel.

Diver Encourages Whale to Swim

The diver, Robert Marc Lehman, spoke about his newfound relationship with the whale to German media. "I'm more hopeful now than I was before, because I noticed out there that the whale wants to go! It wants to start," he said. "The whale now trusts me and is highly motivated to participate. It has also lost its fear of me."

Once the whale is freed, police boats will guide it back through the Baltic Sea in an attempt to get it back to its natural habitat, the North Sea.

Where the Whale Rescue Operation Currently Stands

At the time of publication, the rescue has been suspended for the night, slated to pick up the next morning, March 27. Rescuers remain optimistic.

"The whale is moving, it wants to," said Mayor Sven Partheil-Böhnke. "We will achieve a breakthrough tomorrow."

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Mar 26, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.