A distressed and exhausted humpback whale, found anchored to the ocean floor by a rope and not moving, was cut free by rescuers in a challenging operation off the coast of Australia, according to The Miami Herald.

After a fisherman spotted the trapped cetacean one morning, he contacted Parks and Wildlife, and a rescue team headed to the scene in a boat.

Upon arrival, the team saw the rope wrapped around the whale’s tail and secured to the bottom, while a juvenile whale swam nearby, appearing protective.

Following several hours of effort, the team was finally able to cut the whale loose, even as the accompanying young whale stayed close during the entire rescue.

The freed whale and their companion then swam off together, as rescuers remained in the area for around half an hour to monitor the fatigued whale’s condition.

“It’s a very rewarding feeling when you finally make that final cut and see the whale go free,” Parks and Wildlife Service Senior Operations Officer Steve Moore said.

Lady Freethinker is grateful to the dedicated rescuers whose compassion and persistence gave this suffering whale a second chance and calls for stronger action to reduce marine debris and prevent future entanglements.