Stranded whale 'Timmy' released into North Sea in dramatic rescue

A humpback whale that had been struggling to survive after beaching near the German coast was released Saturday into the North Sea off Denmark, after being transported in a barge in a last-ditch rescue operation.The whale, dubbed "Timmy" in Germany -- where its ordeal captured hearts and sparked a media frenzy -- exited the barge, blew air through its blowhole and swam off, said Karin Walter-Mommert, one of the wealthy entrepreneurs who financed the rescue initiative.

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