WELLFLEET, Mass. (WHDH) — Rescue crews worked quick Thursday morning to rescue a minke whale that got caught in shallow water.
The 22-foot whale that weighed around 5,000 pounds was found near shore. Experts said minke whales are often seen on whalewatching tours and this one may have been drawn closer to shore by fish it eats.
With the tide coming in, the rescue team went to work. Crews from the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) were joined by Wellfleet police officers and the harbormaster.
Initially, the rescue team tried using floats to bring the whale out to deeper water but it slipped out. Instead, boats were used to guide the whale and it safely made it into Cape Cod Bay.
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