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A seven metre long juvenile humpback whale entangled in rope and buoys was successfully freed late on Monday afternoon in a joint operation involving the NSRI and the SA
Whale Disentanglement Network.
The NSRI's Craig Lambinon says the NSRI Port Elizabeth sea rescue craft EIKOS RESCUER and the Raggy Charters boat WINKEL took volunteer members of the Network to an area some 200 metres off shore of Maitlands River Mouth.
There they found the whale swimming freely but appearing to be burdened by the weight of the entanglement.
Lambinon says it took about 40 minutes to remove the rope, float and two floatation buoys entangled around the head and mouth of the whale.
He says the operation was completed just as darkness fell, and that the whale was clearly getting stronger and swimming more confidently as it swam off into the night.
The boats and crew then returned safely to the Port Elizabeth harbour.
