Sydney Harbour, one of the world’s busiest maritime routes, became the backdrop for a dramatic rescue operation on Friday as a young humpback whale, entangled in fishing gear, was successfully freed after an intense effort by rescuers.
Initial discovery and overnight struggle
The 13-meter whale was first spotted on Thursday afternoon, with its tail ensnared in fishing gear. The sighting prompted a swift response from ORRCA, a volunteer rescue group, which received the call on its emergency hotline.
Responders from the New South Wales (NSW) large whale disentanglement team quickly mobilized, attaching a GPS tracker to the whale to monitor its movements. However, the device soon detached, complicating efforts to keep track of the distressed animal. As night fell, the rescue operation was temporarily suspended, but the team resumed their efforts at dawn on Friday after the whale was spotted again within the harbor.
High-stakes rescue in Sydney Harbour
Local media captured live footage from helicopters circling overhead as rescue teams in rubber boats closed in on the whale. The aerial video showed the whale’s dark form beneath the water’s surface, occasionally emerging to thrash its powerful tail, making the rescue even more challenging.
“The challenge with that whale was that it had so much energy,” said disentanglement team leader Luke McSweeney. “It took quite a long time for us to tire it out so that we could get in and do that cut safely.”
To slow the whale’s movements, rescuers attached orange floats to the fishing gear, increasing resistance as it swam. Once close enough, the team used specialized cutting tools—blades affixed to poles—to carefully sever the entangling lines.
“Once it was cut free, it certainly took off free swimming, and really looked fantastic,” said Ben Khan, area manager for New South Wales Parks and Wildlife Service.
Humpback migration and the perils of entanglement
Sydney is a key point along the “humpback highway,” a migration route that humpback whales follow as they travel along the Australian coast. According to wildlife scientist Vanessa Pirotta, it’s not uncommon for these majestic creatures to become entangled in fishing gear during their journey. “The disentanglement team have done an undoubtedly amazing job. It’s a very dangerous task and one that’s very unpredictable,” Pirotta said. “Every single whale entanglement is different, and unfortunately, whale entanglement happens globally, but we tend to see it here in Australia annually when we have humpback whales in our waters migrating.”
The rescue operation occurred in the heart of one of Sydney Harbour’s busiest thoroughfares, where ferries routinely shuttle passengers between Circular Quay and Manly.
Authorities swiftly established an exclusion zone, advising vessels to steer clear of the area. Despite the high-stakes nature of the operation, officials reported no disruptions to ferry services. “We managed to do the whole operation without any disruption to passenger services and timetable ferries, which is an excellent outcome as well,” said Shane Davey from NSW Maritime.
Whale’s journey continues
Following its release, the whale was last seen swimming south, heading out of Sydney Harbour and back on its migratory path. “Now that it has been disentangled, hopefully, it continues south,” added Davey, hopeful that the whale will complete its journey unimpeded.