Timmy the humpback: suspected death after release into a busy North Sea shipping lane

Timmy, a humpback whale once stranded in German waters, was released from a barge into the North Sea about 70 kilometres north of Skagen, into a busy shipping lane. Biologists say he was extremely weakened and highly likely to have died, with unclear details about how the release occurred and skepticism over the rescue team's tracking claims. The private operation cost at least €1.5 million and drew criticism from scientists and conservation groups regarding the risks and ethics of transporting injured wildlife.