Canary Island sailor César Espino is perfectly at home out on the archipelago's crystal clear waters – but a recent trip out at sea took an unexpected turn when he and his shipmates encountered a 45-foot (13.7 m) Bryde's whale in need of rescue. 

Espectacular rescate de una ballena Fuerteventura. Imágenes NÁUTICA PUERTO JANDÍA. Siguenos en A.G.P.HOTO & VIDEOEl jóven protagonista de esta historia se llama César Espino. Al parecer el y su compañero navegaban en el día de ayer a unas 2 millas del muelle de Morro Jable cuando vieron una boya utilizada para Palagre (tipo de pesca no muy legal). Alrededor de ella la típica salida de aire de una ballena, un rorcual de unos 15 metros que se encontraba sola.Sin dudarlo se tiró al agua y vió como el animal estaba enganchado a los anzuelos tanto en la boca como en la cola, lo que le impedía moverse.No se lo pensó, se puso ante la ballena ( la cuál asegura le habló con la mirada) y tras una hora de trabajo consiguió salvarla de lo que hubiera sido una muerte segura.BRAVO CÉSAR !!! Me declaro fan tuyo, olé tus____ para hacer lo que hiciste... y gracias Lourdes Benítez Carrillo por pasarme el documento ;-)

Posted by Aridani Gonzalez Padron on Sunday, January 3, 2016

The whale was badly tangled in abandoned fishing gear, which had wrapped around its mouth and tail fluke. "As we approached the longline and saw it breathing, we realised it was entangled in the rope," he told Canarias News 7. "I quickly jumped in the water and let the whale see me. I knew I was going to try to free her. I felt sorry for her, so I did not hesitate."

The fishing lines, which were tethered to an anchored buoy, were preventing the large animal from diving. "The rope near the mouth was like the reins of a horse," he said. "It was quite difficult to take it off." 

After an hour of cutting and countless dives, Espino managed to free the whale. As uplifting as a successful rescue can be, it's important to note that attempting it solo can be extremely dangerous – for both the whale and the human helper. Bryde's whales (pronounced "broodus") are filter feeders, but they can still weigh nearly 90,000 pounds (40,000 kg). One flick of that powerful tail could render a swimmer unconscious.

Should you find yourself in a similar situation, the best course of action is always to contact the local coast guard.

Encino and his friends reportedly watched the animal for several minutes as it gained speed and confidence. Here's hoping it was strong enough to feed and made a full recovery!

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Top header image: Steve Johnson/Flickr