Stranded beluga whale lifted out of France's Seine River after a week

A stranded beluga whale was lifted out of France's Seine river early Wednesday, according to Clement Lanot, an independent journalist in France.

"#Beluga is transported by boat to a truck under perfusion. It is monitored by veterinarians," Lamont said on Twitter, sharing video footage of the rescue mission.

French authorities on Tuesday moved ahead with an ambitious rescue plan for the beluga whale, which had been trapped in the Seine River for a week now.

The animal swam upstream from the English Channel after having wandered far from its pod, Franceinfo reported.

Reports from experts suggested that the whale was alert but had not eaten for days.

Sea Shepherd France, a non-profit group working for the protection of the oceans, has been keeping watch by boat over the whale for the last week.

The group has been coordinating efforts with the local police, fire fighters and other officials to extract the whale from the water.

The plan was to catch the beluga in a net, lift him by a crane and place him in a truck, which has been achieved in nearly six hours.

The whale will be transported to another seawater location for a few days to be examined and cared for, then released back into the sea, according to authorities.