A humpback whale has been successfully loaded into a barge and is on its way to freedom after becoming stranded in shallow waters.
The young whale had been trapped near Lübeck off Germany's Baltic coastline since late March, becoming stranded on a sandbank far from its natural ocean habitat.
Rescuers employed a specially designed water-filled barge, typically used for transporting vessels, to carry the animal while keeping it submerged.
The operation was financed by two multimillionaire entrepreneurs after authorities wrote off any attempt to save the animal.
The barge departed for the North Sea, where the animal was expected to be released into open waters.
During the operation earlier on Tuesday, rescue workers secured straps around the whale and carefully pulled it along a purpose-built channel excavated through the sand near Poel Island.
The passage had been specifically constructed to allow the animal to reach the waiting barge.
As Timmy progressed through the channel, team members swam alongside the creature to guide its journey.
A humpback whale has been rescued using a barge off of Germany's Baltic coastline
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After covering some distance, the whale accelerated and propelled itself directly into the vessel's hold.
The moment sparked jubilant celebrations among the rescue crew and spectators gathered on the shoreline.
Green netting had been installed across the barge to prevent the animal from escaping during transit.
Karin Walter-Mommert, one of the entrepreneurs backing the rescue effort, told Bild: "I can't even say how happy I am. You could see that the whale fought and wanted to live.
"Knowing he's now in the barge is simply wonderful and shows that the fight for Timmy was worth it."
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Timmy had been stranded since late March with multiple efforts to rescue him failing
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Till Backhaus, environment minister for Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, authorised the mission after veterinary experts confirmed the whale was healthy enough for transport.
"We have worked here day and night, and in the end, we have saved this animal," he told reporters.
Backhaus defended the operation, saying: "Definitely worth it. I've always said, those who do nothing make no mistakes."
Timmy was initially discovered stuck on a sandbank on March 23, subsequently freeing itself before becoming trapped repeatedly in the following weeks.
Multiple rescue efforts were attempted, including the excavation of channels for the whale to swim through, but none proved successful.
At the beginning of April, officials abandoned their efforts, declaring they believed the animal could not be rescued.
This decision triggered public outrage, prompting authorities to permit the entrepreneur-funded operation to proceed.
Some scientists had criticised the decision to continue rescue attempts, arguing they posed excessive risk to the whale and were unlikely to succeed.