Desperate Bid to Refloat Beached Whales

Rescuers continue to help beached whales, after a pod was found stranded on a New Zealand beach.    

          

Attempts are being made to save the 35 pilot whales that washed ashore on Monday.  

            

Some of the whales were able to free themselves, while others were refloated with the help of volunteers.

 

[Darren Foxwell, Department of Conservation Ranger]:                

"This animal here was right up the beach. It's been refloated, it's come away quite strongly. The plan will be to try and keep all the whales together as long as possible. The longer we can keep them together the better they are."              

 

But up to 40 whales have died, and will be buried or left to dry on the sand dunes.