Efforts to free whale entangled in rope off Skye continue
Rescuers are attempting to help the humpback, which got into difficulty at a fish farm near Rigg.
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Your support makes all the difference.Efforts are continuing to free a whale which has become entangled in a rope at a fish farm off the Isle of Skye.
A member of the public spotted the humpback in difficulty and contacted British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) at around 8.30am on Thursday to raise the alarm.
The BDMLR confirmed the whale is alive and said medics are at the scene at the Invertote salmon farm near Rigg on Skye working to free it.
A picture released by the charity shows the mammal at the surface of the water next to a white buoy, with green rope around the top of its head.
The charity urged people and boats to stay away from the area during the rescue operation.
Current assessment shows the animal is visibly entangled in a rope and unable to swim freely
A BDMLR spokeswoman said on Thursday: “Current assessment shows the animal is visibly entangled in a rope and unable to swim freely.
“Members of our large whale disentanglement team have mobilised from across the UK and with the help of the local community and emergency services are now working to free the whale as soon as is safely possible.
“The situation is currently ongoing and we kindly request that members of the public (and those in boats) please do not travel to see the whale whilst access is needed for rescue operations.”
In a statement released on Thursday, Organic Sea Harvest, which runs the Invertote farm, said normal farming operations had been “suspended” while efforts to free the whale take place.
The statement continued: “The Scottish Government and other relevant agencies were notified immediately, and expert marine mammal divers from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue are on site.
“Marine mammals, including dolphins and whales, are a common sight near salmon farms, but it is extremely rare for them to come into contact with our sites.
“We understand this is a worrying situation and we want to assure everyone that we are doing everything possible to help the whale.”
In November the large whale disentanglement team successfully freed a humpback whale that had become entangled in creel ropes in Loch Fyne.
Humpback whales are found in oceans around the world.
They can grow to around 18 metres in length and weigh up to 40 tonnes.