Entangled whale rescued off San Diego coast

LA JOLLA, Calif. - A Sea World rescue team saved a young humpback whale tangled in fishing line off the coast of La Jolla, California.

Sea World officials in San Diego got a call about the badly tangled whale on Sunday afternoon.

Rescue teams had to use an inflatable motorboat to look for the 24-foot long mammal.

When they found it, a fishing line ran through its mouth and around its tail fluke.

Officials say it was basically hog-tied - the line pinning down one of its pectoral fins and preventing it from moving around.

It took nearly two hours for rescuers to cut the line in several places, before the whale swam away to freedom.

Sea world officials say the animal appeared to be in good health as it swam away,  and was last seen heading north in the direction of the normal migration path for humpback whales at this time of year.