WAILUKU, Maui — A humpback whale spotted near Maui was freed of braided line caught in its mouth.
WAILUKU, Maui — A humpback whale spotted near Maui was freed of braided line caught in its mouth.
A joint statement from state and federal agencies says the entangled whale was freed Friday.
It was first spotted Thursday by the captain of a fishing vessel. Rescue teams then went to the scene and began to remove the more than 285 feet of braided line the whale was trailing.
The agencies said the whale was active Thursday, and with sunset approaching, crews put a tracking buoy on the line and came back to finish the job Friday.
The agencies said the whale has an excellent chance of survival. It was found off Makena Beach.
The gear will be analyzed to determine where it came from.
