Photographer Audun Rikardsen Rescues Trapped Whale with Canon Gear
A photograph taken by Audun Rikardsen with a Canon EOS-1D X camera aided Norwegian authorities in rescuing a humpback whale entangled in a cable near Tromsø.
Photographer and scientist Audun Rikardsen documented a rescue operation in November 2016 where a humpback whale, trapped in a reinforced internet cable near Tromsø, Norway, was successfully freed. Rikardsen's photographs were instrumental in the operation's success.
The rescue began when Rikardsen learned of the whale's plight and set out with a friend in challenging weather conditions. He used his Canon EOS-1D X camera with a Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM wide-angle lens, illuminating the whale underwater with flashes to identify the entanglement.
The Norwegian Coast Guard later joined the effort. Rikardsen's image, captured with the Canon EOS-1D X and two Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT flashes, provided a clear view for the rescue team. Despite initial failed attempts to cut the cable, a diver eventually freed the whale the following day after a five-hour operation.
The incident caused internet and mobile service disruptions for several weeks in the region, leading to a claim for damages from an internet company. Rikardsen considered the photograph significant, noting its depiction of the whale's distress and struggle for survival.