SAUSALITO, California (13 Dec 2005) -- Scuba divers working with the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito have rescued a 50-ton humpback whale. The whale was trapped in crab fishing gear near the Farallon Islands. Commercial crab fishermen found the trapped whale on Sunday morning at about 8:30am and notified a whale-watching tour boat operator. Captain Mick Menigoz organized a group of six divers and three staffers from the Marine Mammal Center who reached the entangled whale at about 2:30pm. According to diver Jason Russey, the whale was caught in rope from at least a dozen traps. The rescue team placed two divers at the surface near the whale's head and two divers descended to cut away the rope, which wrapped around the animal's pectoral fins and mouth. "The scuba guys below were able to make a few cuts with knives, and once we got the line tension relieved on the ends, we were soon able to lift them up and off the whale," Russey told reporters. | | Humpback whales The whale was finally freed at about 3:30pm. According to staff at the Marine Mammal Center, it was the first time a diver group has freed an entangled whale in the area. Related story: "Animal House is Growing" © CDNN - CYBER DIVER NEWS NETWORK |
