Timmy was first spotted in the Baltic waters in the north of Germany last month. Specifically, it first appeared near the village of Timmendorf, after which it was named. In total, he has been stuck in German waters three times, while the German authorities have practically given up on saving him, The Guardian newspaper reports on the situation.
But Gunz and Walter-Mommertová decided to pay for another attempt to save the sea animal out of their own pockets. “If you try something, you at least have a chance to save the whale,” Gunz told the German media.
On Thursday afternoon, six rescuers approached the whale. According to the action plan, they should try to remove the mud from under Timmy’s fins, after which they should get air cushions under him, which will allow the whale to be lifted onto a sheet attached to the pontoon on both sides. Eventually, Timmy should be towed to the North Sea and possibly the Atlantic Ocean by a tugboat.
The millionaire-funded attempt to save the animal was criticized by the Greenpeace group, which participated in previous efforts. According to her representatives, Timmy is “sick and severely weakened”. According to Greenpeace, the chance that the whale would survive is slim, and Operation Pillow, on the other hand, involves a high risk of injury.
