9 News Australia
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Eight-metre humpback whale freed from shark nets | 9 News Australia
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June 10, 2026
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4:11Now PlayingWelcome to 9News Australia. In this dramatic marine conservation report, an extensive four-hour rescue operation has successfully freed an eight-metre humpback whale entangled in shark nets off Currumbir Beach on the Gold Coast. The massive mammal, estimated to be roughly the size of a small shuttle bus, was discovered heavily trapped from its head all the way down to its tail fluke. Sea World Research & Rescue Foundation teams, operating alongside the Queensland Fisheries Department and local shark control contractors, braved highly challenging open-ocean swells, heavy wind, and rain to systematically cut the distressed juvenile free.
Reporting from the Gold Coast beachfront, 9News Queensland Reporter Mia Glover captures the intense moments leading up to the whale's release. To provide an inside look at the complexities of the operation, 9News anchors Karl Stefanovic and Sarah Abo are joined live by the Head of Marine Sciences at Sea World, Wayne Phillips. Phillips details how the rescue crew utilized specialized keg lines to maintain tracking of the whale in the rough seas, ensuring every fragment of the hazardous nylon mesh netting was safely cleared from the animal’s pectoral flippers.
The panel also addresses the highly debated topic of whale consciousness during human interventions, with Phillips clarifying the realworld predatorprey stress dynamics animals experience in these scenarios. This successful mission marks Sea World's third comprehensive whale disentanglement rescue of the current annual migration season, following a separate successful operation off Foster a month prior. With over 40,000 humpback whales expected to travel up the 'humpback highway' along the eastern Australian seaboard this season, marine authorities are preparing for an exceptionally busy period. Watch our exclusive underwater rescue footage and full expert analysis inside. | *Subscribe and 🔔
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