7:48pm UK, Friday September 10, 2010
Ian Collier, Sky News Online
Mystery surrounds the fate of a hump-backed whale which was trapped off Shetland.
Initially teams of rescuers said the animal had probably died.
But after hours of searching for a body without success they think it might have survived.
"Further to yesterday's sightings of a humpback whale trapped by fishing creels and buoys near Vidlin off the coast of Shetland, it would appear that the whale has now moved on," said Ron patterson of the Scottish Society for the Prevention of cruelty to Animals.
"We have been scouring the waters around the area since 7am this morning and there have been no further sightings of the whale so we are assuming that the whale may have escaped and is now swimming freely although there is a chance that it may have died.
"We can't say for certain exactly what has happened to the whale yet, but it could surface again.
"If anyone in the area spots a whale near the shoreline then they should call our Animal Helpline on 03000 999 999 or the Shetland Wildlife Rescue Unit on 01595 840 321."
The hump-backed whale was first spotted entangled in lobster pot nets and unable to free itself on Thursday morning.
An operation began to try to set it free, with divers from the British Divers Marine Life Rescue heading for Shetland with specialist equipment.
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