Rescued Jersey turtle begins journey back to the wild

A loggerhead turtle rescued from a Jersey beach after Storm Goretti has been flown to the Azores, where she is due to be released into the Atlantic.

Named Crush by her rescuers, the turtle was found cold-stunned and severely malnourished on 19 January. She was initially treated in Jersey before being flown to Southampton and transferred to Sea Life Weymouth for rehabilitation.

After months of care, including blood tests, X-rays and CT scans, Crush is now just under 5kg and has been declared fit for release.

She travelled around 1,500 miles (2,500km) to the Azores alongside two other rescued loggerhead turtles, Eden and Tiree, which were found in Scotland last year.

Crush has been fitted with a satellite transmitter supplied by Jersey marine charity Littlefeet Environmental. The device will allow researchers to follow her movements and gather information about sea turtle migration routes in the North Atlantic.

Rescuers believe Crush was swept north from warmer waters by storms and ocean currents. Loggerhead turtles are classified as vulnerable, with only a small proportion of hatchlings surviving to adulthood.