Humpback whale still in the water off Germany's coast

A humpback whale that has repeatedly been marooned on sandbanks in the Baltic Sea has not been able to free itself.

The animal is still lying in the Bay of Wismar, a spokesman for the water police in the northern German city told dpa.

"Yes, it's still there. The situation is the same as yesterday," the spokesman said.

The animal had not moved from the spot. At the same time, there is now less water than on Sunday. That makes the situation a little more difficult.

The spokesman was unable to say what will happen next. That would have to be decided by the experts once they have assessed the situation.

The whale garnered massive media attention after it went aground on a sandbank off Timmendorfer Beach in northern Germany near the city of Lübeck a week ago. It was freed on Thursday. It subsequently went aground in the Bay of Wismar but managed to dislodge itself.

According to experts, the 12- to 15-metre whale is not in good health.