Durban - The KwaZulu-Natal Sharksboard was in the process of rescuing a whale that had become entangled in the shark nets near the uMhlanga main beach on Tuesday morning.
Dewet Geldenhuys, an uMhlanga Urban Improvement Precinct (UIP) manager, said beachgoers and those walking along the promenade were gazing out to sea when they caught the site of a whale at the surface of the water exhaling (blowing) water into the air in the distance.
"People had realised that it was not moving position and alerted authorities. We suspect it might have become entangled in the shark prevention nets just offshore. A rescue team, as well as the Sharks Board, are out there cutting away at the ropes. The whale is still blowing water," he said.
Geldenhuys said he was waiting for feedback from the rescue team.
According to the KZN Sharks board website most of the shark nets deployed are 214m long and 6m deep and are secured at each end by two 35kg anchors; all have a stretched mesh of 51cm. The nets are laid in two parallel rows approximately 400m offshore and in water depths of 10-14m.