VIDEO: Entangled Humpback Whale Set Free In Monterey Bay

MOSS LANDING (CBS SF) -- A humpback whale entangled in fishing gear, sighted several times in Monterey Bay over the last month, has been cut free by marine rescue teams and the Coast Guard.

Photos and video of the dramatic rescue operation was released Monday by officials with the Marine Life Studies team.

The life-and-death drama began on Dec. 9th when a fisherman reported sighting the entangled whale in Monterey Bay to the Coast Guard. The US Coast Guard vessel Pike responded and stood by until the response team arrived, but due to the whale's unpredictable behavior it was lost.

The following day the whale was spotted again -- this time by the Sea Spirit Ocean Safari -- but unfortunately it was too late to mount a response. On December 11th, a multi-agency search of Monterey Bay was conducted from sunrise to sunset including Coast Guard aircraft and vessel and a Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary vessel.

Although the search turned up over 40 humpback whales, the entangled whale was not relocated.

Fortunately, Friday the 13th proved to be lucky for the laboring whale. A boat out of Santa Cruz spotted it, called the Coast Guard and another all out effort to free the whale was launched.

It was spotted by the rescue team, who determined the entanglement was life threatening. The constricting wrap would cut into the whale's body as it continued to grow. The source and type of fishery debris were not identified.

The team added five large buoys to help slow down the fast-moving whale and cause it to stay near the surface. While being pulled behind the whale in a small inflatable boat, the rescuers were able to make a single cut to the line running across the whale's back. The whale reacted sharply as all the gear quickly fell away and the whale swam away.

"The stars really have to align for a mission like this because there are so many moving pieces from weather conditions to distance from shore to the ability to locate the whale," said Kathi George, Global Response Project Manager at The Marine Mammal Center.

The gear was collected for documentation, the source of the entanglement has not been confirmed.

"Our work in responding to entangled whales is absolutely critical and necessary -- but it's vital that we also look at the larger issue in a holistic way," said Ryan Berger, Northern Range Operations Manager at The Marine Mammal Center. "It's going to take research, innovation and partnerships with fishermen, industries and communities to solve the more complex problems that lead to entanglements in the first place."

The multi-day effort included experts from the Marine Life Studies' Whale Entanglement Team, Cascadia Research and SR3 Sealife Response Rehabilitation and Research.