ORRCA team rescues entangled humpback whale in Sydney Harbour

A major update in the attempts to rescue an entangled whale in Sydney Harbour has left onlookers ‘cheering’ with joy.

A humpback whale entangled in Sydney’s famous harbour waters is now free.

Jessica Fox, from the ORRCA whale rescue group, told NewsWire on Friday a “disentanglement team” from the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service had rescued the whale, whose tail had become entangled with rope and buoys.

“The whale is now free, it’s a really great feeling,” she said.

“There was so much cheering, it was really fantastic for everyone to get to witness.”

The rescue mission kicked off on Thursday about 1.20pm when a call was made to the ORRCA hotline notifying the volunteer group about the entanglement.

It is the fourth entangled whale spotted this week, but the first in Sydney Harbour.

A rescue team from the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service travels to the whale. Picture: 9News

The juvenile whale is entangled in Sydney Harbour. Picture: 9News

Four vessels went to the scene to help the whale, with the NSW maritime Service setting up an exclusion zone around the juvenile whale to prevent other boats from knocking into it.

Ms Fox watched the rescue unfold from her position at Middle Head section of the harbour.

“I currently have eyes on them,” she told NewsWire earlier in the morning.

“They’re about 4m away from the tail of the whale right now.”

The whale is now heading back out to the ocean.

ORRCA runs a 24/7 hotline for people to report trapped or entangled dolphins, whales, seals and dugongs.

The number is 02 9415 3333.

“Please call through to the rescue hotline,” Ms Fox said.

She said there were still three more whales entangled “somewhere” along the NSW coast, but she did not know where.

Originally published as ORRCA team rescues entangled humpback whale in Sydney Harbour