EAST LONDON – A juvenile humpback whale entangled in rope and dragging a large flotation buoy has been successfully freed off the coast of East London.
The whale was first reported on Friday and found Saturday morning by a search aircraft.
NSRI teams launched a rescue, locating the tired whale about two nautical miles off Kidds Beach.
Using specialised tools, the team made four careful cuts to remove the rope wrapped around its tail.
The whale, estimated at 7 to 8 metres long, swam away freely after the rescue.
Authorities say the fishing gear likely came from a foreign vessel near South America.
eNCA
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