Whale swims free of Australian river as 270 are stranded

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — A humpback whale has found its way back to sea weeks after getting lost in a murky, crocodile-infested river in northern Australia, while an estimated 270 pilot whales became stranded in the country's south.

There have been no previous recorded sightings of whales in remote East Alligator River in the Northern Territory’s World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park, and no one can explain why at least three of the blue water mammals ventured so deep inland in a river with little visibility.

In a more common phenomenon, about 270 pilot whales were reported stranded Monday on sandbars off Australia’s southern island of Tasmania state.

In northern Australia, the last of the humpback whale trio managed to navigate its way through shallow channels at the broad river mouth and back into Van Diemen Gulf over the weekend, Kakadu National Park manager Feach Moyle said.

“It made its way out on the high tides and we’re pleased it appeared to be in good condition and not suffering any ill effects,” Moyle said.

Humpbacks follow the western Australian coast in their annual migration from the tropics to Antarctica.

A helicopter crew spotted the whale on Sunday 9 kilometers (6 miles) outside the river mouth, Northern Territory government whale and dolphin scientist Carol Palmer said.

“He or she looked really relaxed, was cleaning all the mud off itself actually, and we were just so relieved that this whale had actually made itself out of the East Alligator River,” Palmer said.

A group of recreational sailors first spotted the lost trio on Sept. 2 more than 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the river's mouth.

Two of the whales had disappeared before wildlife authorities arrived a week later.

“Hopefully, they’re on their way or he or she is on...