GQEBERHA – The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) and South African Whale Disentanglement Network (SAWDN) successfully freed a humpback whale from fishing rope in an operation that lasted more than four hours.
The rescue was launched on Tuesday 2 September, after the fishing vessel Louisa-Claire reported the entangled whale in deep offshore waters south of Cape Recife.
“The affected whale had space for movement and was swimming around in wide circles – confirming that the whale was anchored to the seabed by one of the fishing lines,” said Kevin Warren, NSRI Gqeberha coxswain, describing the scene when rescue crews arrived.
The operation quickly became complicated when three additional humpback whales – believed to be concerned for their entangled companion – interfered with the rescue craft’s approach.
“The three additional whales kept getting in the way of the NSRI rescue craft,” Warren explained.
The rescue teams, aboard the NSRI rescue craft Bay Guardian and Eddie Beaumont II, discovered the whale had fishing rope wrapped around its fluke and caudal peduncle, with a “birds’ nest” of rope gathered on one side.
Rescuers also noted that the whale was trailing a flotation buoy.
“Over a four-hour period, in extreme challenging conditions, all rope was cut free, and the fishing rope and flotation buoy were recovered for disposal,” Warren shared.
“When we finally cut away the last fishing line that was anchored to the seabed the affected whale and the remaining whales dived under water and swam off not be seen again.”
Warren emphasized that throughout the entire operation, the affected whale appeared healthy and strong.
The NSRI team has since praised the crucial role played by the Lusitania fishing vessel Louisa-Claire, whose crew not only reported the entanglement but remained on scene to guide the rescue craft to its location.
“We commend the skipper and crew of the Lusitania fishing vessel Louisa-Claire for swiftly raising the alarm and for staying on the scene to guide us to the location – they played a vital role that contributed to the whale being saved,” Warren said.
