WATCH: Italian coastguard works to set free trapped sperm whale

Italy’s coastguard has released footage of its divers and biologists working to free a sperm whale that got caught up in a fishing net on Sunday.

The whale was spotted struggling in the water near the Aeolian Island archipelago on Saturday by a passing boat.

The coastguard released a video of divers cutting away the net entangling the whale, but said the operation was particularly challenging due to the agitated state of the animal.

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Just three weeks ago, the Italian coastguard intervened to free another sperm whale trapped in an illegal fishing net in the same area.