Port Elizabeth - A 10-metre Humpback whale was successfully freed from rope, fishing lines and buoys off Noordhoek Beach, Port Elizabeth on Tuesday, the SA Whale Disentanglement Network said.
Spokesperson Craig Lambinon said the network's volunteers were activated following reports from a fishing boat that a whale had been found entangled.
He said the whale was swimming, which made it difficult for the teams to get close enough to effectively use their cutting equipment.
Two buoys were tied to the wraps in an effort to slow the whale down.
"The whale continued to dive out of reach, forcing the team to tie a trailing line to the wraps to further slow down the whale's movement," Lambinon said.
Once the whale slowed down, specialised poles and cutting equipment were used to cut the whale loose.
Lambinon said the whale swam off healthy and strong with only a few cuts from rope.