At least, 270 pilot whales trapped in shallow water on a sandbar off the remote west coast of the Australian island of Tasmania.
That incident makes the rescuers were trying to refloat hundreds of whales that stranded on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2020.
The government scientists of Australian estimated about 90 whales had died since the stranding was reported.
From the aerial footage showed large numbers of the animals largely prone on a sandbar at Macquarie Harbour, about 200 km northwest of the state capital Hobart.
And others floundered in slightly deeper water.
Kris Carlyon, one of the wildlife biologists with the state government said, “Pilot whales are a species of oceanic dolphins that grow to 7 meters long and can weigh up to 3 tonnes. Drawing them back out to sea is a labor-intensive process.”
Rescuers try to keep the whales upright to avoid disorientation and they using specialized tarpaulins and pontoons to drag them to deeper water.
Around 40 government scientists, 20 police officers, and local fish farmers and volunteers were involved in the rescue attempt.
