Humpback Whale Freed From Entanglement Off Provincetown

PROVINCETOWN (CBS) - Marine crews from from the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies (PCCS) marine animal entanglement response (MAER) team had their hands full on Friday as they worked to try and free a humpback whale after it became entangled in some boating gear.

The operation to free the whale from what was described as a "relatively minor" but complicated entanglement, took about four hours, and was mostly successful.

Teams were able to cut away a buoy and part of the tangled line. Marine experts plan to continue monitoring the whale.

The humpback was identified as Basmati, a 14-year old female.

According to the PCCS, entanglement is one of the leading causes of serious injury and death in humpback whales.