His rescue took 45 minutes by Spanish divers

A stranded whale directs its editors .. “a sign of thanks”

The whale was completely caught in the net and was unable to open its mouth.

Reuters

Spanish divers have freed a 12-metre humpback whale that was stuck in a floating fishing net that had been illegally erected off the Spanish island of Mallorca in the Mediterranean.

Marine biologist Jekhi Torras, 32, and one of the divers involved, said saving the giant whale and a small gesture of appreciation was the "best birthday present ever" for her.

This is only the third time that a humpback whale has been found around the Balearic Islands.

A ship about five kilometers off the east coast of Mallorca spotted the whale, which was weakened, prompting the marine rescue center in Palma de Mallorca to act.

The whale was so completely stuck inside the net that it was unable to open its mouth.

After initial attempts to rip the net off a boat failed, divers from Albatros and Squalo Diving Centers joined the rescue effort and removed the net using a raider in a 45-minute rescue operation.

Once the divers freed the whale, Tauras said, he remained with the four divers for some time until he gathered his strength before making what appeared to be a "thank you" and swimming away.

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