Rare Bryde's whale frees itself after being stranded in Great Barrier Reef

After several failed rescue attempts by wildlife officers, whale finds its own way out of the lagoon and back into the ocean

A whale has mysteriously freed itself after being stranded in a lagoon on the Great Barrier Reef.

The Bryde's whale, rare for the area, was first spotted by a tourist on a scenic flight over Elford Reef, near Cairns, in June.