Whale entangled in rope is rescued off the coast of Iceland. See the daring rescue

An entangled whale was set free off the coast of Iceland, following a daring, multi-hour rescue mission.

The incident took place off Viðey — an island near Reykjavík, the capital — on Dec. 16, according to the Icelandic Coast Guard.

The whale had become snarled in a rope attached to a vessel, and the Coast Guard’s special operations team was dispatched to investigate.

Video shows the animal wrapped in rope and swimming near the snow-covered shore while a small rescue boat, with a five-person crew, idled nearby.

The boat eventually approached the whale and those onboard began cutting the rope — though the darkness and tough conditions made this challenging.

Finally, after six hours, the animal was released and it swam away.

The species of whale was not identified.

Entanglements in fishing gear and other debris pose a major threat to whales, impeding their ability to swim, eat and even breathe, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Worldwide, an estimated 300,000 cetaceans — which include whales and dolphins — die every year as a result of entanglements, according to the Marine Mammal Center.

Google Translate was used to translate a news release from the Icelandic Coast Guard.

This story was originally published December 20, 2024 at 10:55 AM with the headline "Whale entangled in rope is rescued off the coast of Iceland. See the daring rescue."