Greece: Rescue operation to help stranded young whale

ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Divers, vets and the coast guard have mounted a rescue operation to help a whale calf that has become trapped in shallow water in a seaside area of the Greek capital. The animal is an injured young Cuvier’s beaked whale, according to Arion, a research organization that provides veterinary care for stranded cetaceans. The species usually inhabits deep waters, and it was unclear how it had been injured and why it became stranded in the Alimos area of southern Athens Friday. On Thursday, the whale had been sighted in shallow water in the nearby area of Vouliagmeni, and divers had been called in to lead it out to sea. The operation had initially appeared successful, but the animal returned to shallow waters Friday morning.