Words by

Iryna Zubenko

Photo by

Gitte Van der Meersch/The Reykjavík Grapevine

The crew of the coast guard vessel Þór rescued a whale on Monday afternoon. It had become trapped in a shallow area north of Viðey island off the coast of Reykjavík, reports RÚV.

The Coast Guard Operations Center received a report about the whale the evening before. A rescue team was dispatched to the scene, but due to darkness and difficult conditions, the operation was postponed until daylight.

Using an inflatable device, rope and a hoist, Þór’s crew successfully freed the whale from the entangled area. By around 18:00, they were able to cut the net, allowing the whale to swim away.

Watch the video of the rescue here.