400 Whales Strand Themselves On A Beach In New Zealand

Tragedy as 400 whales strand themselves on a remote New Zealand beach and rescuers fight to save 100 still alive. Hundreds of whales stranded on a remote beach in New Zealand's South Island have died, while rescuers are working to refloat more than hundred more.

Whale rescue organisation Project Jonah said in a Facebook post that there were 416 pilot whales stranded on Farewell Spit, and that 75 per cent had died overnight.

'Efforts this morning will be focused on refloating the remaining live whales at high tide,' the organisation wrote on Friday.

Together with the Department of Conservation, Project Jonah was calling helpers to the northern end of Golden Bay on the island's west coast to help refloat the surviving whales.

A team of up to 30 trained whale medics were headed to the stranding. Volunteers from around the country also scrambled to get to the beach 90 kilometres south west of Nelson.

It is the biggest whale stranding in New Zealand in recent times.