A team of rescuers on Feb. 21 set free a 45 ton humpback whale whose tail was caught in a heavy crab line. The whale had been dragging the heavy rope around Hawaiian waters for more than a week.

The rescue team used a knife attached to a long pole to successfully complete this challenging task, according to the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary's management.

Like Us on Facebook

The sanctuary's administration reported divers were able to reach the giant marine mammal via an inflatable boat near the coast of Maui. The mission seemed like a close call as the whale was struggling and becoming restless.

Only a small part of the crab line remained latched on to the whale's wounds but this portion will fall off from the bruised skin once the wounds heal, said Ed Lyman coordinator of the sanctuary's Large Whale Entanglement Response team.

The humpback whale was first reported during an entanglement located some 45 miles from Hilo's coastline on Feb. 13. As the rescue team approached the whale, it monitored its vitals and overall condition then attached a GPS tracking logger to the animal.

A satellite system monitored by the West Hawaii Marine Mammal Response Network tracked the whale's exact position for a week. The team, however, lost the whale up until Feb. 22 when it was seen dragging a buoy along the Kona Coast.

The sanctuary administration said it will announce the next rescue mission as soon as weather conditions improve. The whale was seen circling the Big Island last week.

According to NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), the rescue team finally reached the distressed whale as they discovered its tail was apparently wrapped five times by crab lines.

TagsRescuers Free Entangled Humpback Whale in Hawaii, humpback whale, maui, NOAA, Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, hawaii rescuers free humpback whale fishing line entangled