Almost 30 whales have died near Strahan as a rescue mission stalls, waiting for dawn’s light
A rescue mission will have to wait until dawn as whales die after being stranded out of the water, and hundreds of others languish on sandbars. SEE THE HEARTBREAKING PHOTOS + READ WITNESS ACCOUNTS >>
Tasmania
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A MASSIVE rescue mission will get underway at first light to try to save about 270 whales which are stranded at three locations at Strahan on Tasmania’s West Coast.
PWS Regional Manager North-West Nic Deka said 25 of the 30 odd whales stranded out of the water on Ocean Beach have already died while the others – trapped on two sandbars at Macquarie Heads – are fighting for life in shallow water.
Marine Conservation Branch experts are on site at Macquarie Heads making a full assessment and authorities will hold a meeting tonight to map out how the rescue mission will go ahead.
“I am not sure what condition those on the sandbars are in as I have only seen them from the air,” Mr Deka said in Strahan this afternoon.
“The main pod is on a sandbar at the heads with another group stranded a few hundred metres away. They are in the water but I cannot say yet what condition they are in.
“There are also about 30 whales on Ocean Beach of which most have already died.”
It is not the first time pods of whales have stranded in Macquarie Harbour and on Ocean Beach. But this is the first mass stranding in a decade or so.
“Strahan is a bit of a hot spot for whale strandings for whatever reason,” Mr Deka said.
In 2011, 20 sperm whales were stranded on Ocean Beach and in 1998 64 sperm whales were found on the same stretch of remote sand.
Mr Deka said the rescue mission was likely to kick off at dawn on Tuesday.
“More resources are coming,” Mr Deka said.
“And I imagine we will call on volunteers with training in whale rescue from around the state.”
“We currently have 20 or so staff here plus officers from Tasmania Police,” he said.
“We understand the interest from the public but don’t want people without training trying to help.
“These are big animals which weigh several tonnes.”
A large crowd had gathered at Macquarie Heads on Monday afternoon as news spread that the whales were stranded – including camper Darrell Delaney who first raised the alarm.
Mr Delaney was out walking at 7.30am when he noticed the distressed animals.
“I was wondering what it was I was looking at first,” Mr Delaney said.
“The whales were fluttering about a lot more than. It is very hard to watch.”
“I reported what I had seen to the police now I am just watching and hoping the whales can be saved.”
Strahan Police officer James Scicluna said it was likely Macquarie Heads road could be closed on Tuesday as the rescue mission gets underway.
“We are asking people to keep away from the area and not to launch boats. Our role is to support the Department of Primary Industry, Parks Water and Environment and manage traffic. “We do not need members of the public out on the water during the rescue efforts.”
EARLIER: A rescue mission for a large pod of whales that become stranded on a sandbar inside Macquarie Heads at Strahan continues this afternoon, amid reports a number have died.
Marine conservation experts have been deployed to the West Coast to manage the incident involving the pod of what are thought to be more than 200 pilot whales.
Macquarie Heads camper Darrell Delaney wasn’t quite sure what he was looking at when he first spotted the whales close to shore this morning.
“I came out for a walk and wondered what it was,” Mr Delaney said.
“It was the noise of them fluttering that caught my attention.”
The whales, thought to be pilot whales, are stuck on a sandbar at Macquarie Heads at Strahan.
“It’s a distressing thing to see. And all you can do is watch,” he said as a crowd gathered and the whales made heart-wrenching noises as they struggled to free themselves.
A few do break free but stay close to their panicking friends and get caught again.
A boat is out on the harbour with the whales and rescue crews are on their way from Hobart.
A helicopter is feeding information from the air.
Mr Delaney walked back to the campsite to alert police to the tragedy at 7.30am.
Rescue efforts might not begin until Tuesday morning.
A DPIPWE spokeswoman said marine conservation experts were being deployed to the west coast.
“Marine experts will assess the scene and the situation and will provide updates as the day progresses,” the spokeswoman said.
She said the exact species of whale was yet to be confirmed but they were believed to be pilot whales.
Originally published as Almost 30 whales have died near Strahan as a rescue mission stalls, waiting for dawn’s light