Whales perish in mass stranding

Jul 23 2011

Fifteen pilot whales died in a mass stranding at one of the UK'S most northerly locations.

Rescuers trying to save a pod of around 60 whales at the Kyle of Durness said the whales had perished when they stranded at low tide.

Around 35 members of the pod beached as the water in the sea loch receded. Some 20 of them were refloated to deeper water using inflatable pontoons as the water returned, but the remainder had died, said the British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR).