Una joven ballena de 8 metros de longitud encalló el martes en la playa australiana de Palm Beach en Queensland, mientras realizaba su migración anual.
De inmediato una veintena de personas se acercó a ayudarla, empujándola de vuelta al mar. Sin embargo, el inmenso animal fue difícil de rescatar.
En la primera noche, no bastó con la fuerza de los que quisieron contribuir, sobre todo porque era de noche y oscureció temprano, además que, en su afán de regresar al mar, la ballena casi aplasta a los rescatistas.
Luego de 36 horas en que la mantuvieron con vida, los equipos de Sea World Australia, con la ayuda de excavadoras y el apoyo de cientos de espectadores, pudieron liberar al animal (que muchos bautizaron como Willy).
Members of the public are defying authorities and trying to free a stranded humpback whale on the Gold Coast. #9News pic.twitter.com/HN22Q2iZRA
— Nine News Brisbane (@9NewsBrisbane) July 9, 2014
@GCBulletin getting the harness ready #comeonwhale pic.twitter.com/ptrehlhiSG
— Emily Macdonald (@emilymac_gc) July 9, 2014
Whale is upright, facing out to sea and breathing. But the water is too deep to safely send rescuers in to help pic.twitter.com/x5jKJ7tXdP
— Mackenzie Ravn (@mackenzieravn) July 9, 2014
Stranded whale has just rolled in the rising seas. Sea World frantically trying to flip it back over @9NewsBrisbane pic.twitter.com/qMtCw3rnu5
— Nine News Gold Coast (@9NewsGoldCoast) July 9, 2014
Escavator has arrived to help rescue the whale https://t.co/5nzAwHSmVi pic.twitter.com/8zdCrb4LXz
— Shaya Laughlin (@shayalaughlin) July 9, 2014
Sea World taking care of the stranded whale with shade and buckets of water #goldcoast pic.twitter.com/2W3RwBbN8r
— Shaya Laughlin (@shayalaughlin) July 8, 2014
If you fail, try and try again...and PULL!! C'mon lil whale..@7NewsBrisbane pic.twitter.com/VgT3RvQI87
— Julie Korner (@JulieKorner) July 9, 2014
Whale is free! And it all happened live on our TV screens! @7NewsBrisbane @sunriseon7 #sun7 #whale pic.twitter.com/Eo9yimXa70
— Peter Doherty (@PeterDoherty7) July 9, 2014
UPDATE: Stranded humpback whale has moved into deeper water and appears to be swimming freely. #9News pic.twitter.com/er9WkV28Gi
— Nine News Australia (@9NewsAUS) July 9, 2014
Freedom! Stranded young whale freed in marathon rescue effort at Palm Beach https://t.co/Tt4zvDaKaD pic.twitter.com/rNYpDYt3CE
— clicks n' whistles (@oceanCRIES) July 9, 2014
