Bid to float stranded whale fails

Oct 4 2011

Attempts to rescue a whale stranded on a beach in the Western Isles have been unsuccessful.

The mammal, which is believed to be either a sei or a minke whale, was discovered at around 1pm on Tuesday on a beach near Gerinish, on South Uist.

Stornoway Coastguard said volunteers from British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) have spent the day trying to refloat the creature, which is said to be around 30ft long and weighs about two tonnes, but it has not been possible to get it back in the water.