A humpback whale that was transported toward the North Sea in a flooded cargo ship after being stranded in the Baltic Sea off the German coast has been confirmed dead by Danish authorities. The attempt to remove the repeatedly stranded whale from shallow waters off Germany's Baltic coast was accompanied by intense public debate over the best way to help the animal. Organizers of a private rescue initiative cited by local media then said they believed the whale was fit to be transported, but specialists from the German Oceanographic Museum voiced doubt. The rescue operation is estimated to have cost about $1.7 million. #timmy #whale #german #news