Whale rescuers have battled tough conditions to save a humpback entangled off Queensland’s north coast in what proved to be their most challenging rescue of the migration season.

The stranded animal was spotted by a drone operator, who raised the alarm and then captured the incredible rescue as it unfolded.

SeaWorld rescuers left the Gold Coast expecting what they thought would be a simple task they’d done many times before — travelling 90 minutes south to Brunswick Heads to disentangle rope wrapped around the tail of a humpback whale.

“We’ve just departed front, so we’re heading north of your way now,” rescuers said as they began their mission.

But as they got closer to the whale, the weather took a dramatic turn for the worse.

Buffeted by strong winds and big surf, attaching a

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