DOC whale stranding update 2.30pm

The 46 pilot whales refloated this morning at Puponga are currently milling off Farewell Spit where they have been now for about an hour and a half.

The whales are about 600 metres out from the high tide mark a few kilometers from the base of Farewell Spit and are being monitored by DOC rangers in a boat.

There is still a risk the whales could re-strand in the outgoing tide but the whales have been slowly moving and DOC staff are hopeful they are just regrouping and that once they have done that they may start swimming further out to sea.

It is an anxious time for rescuers waiting to see if the whales will this time make it safely out to sea after twice re-stranding after being refloated over the weekend. More than 100 volunteers have assisted DOC with the whales today including Project Jonah volunteers and others who have come from surrounding areas to help.

The whales had been swimming strongly in deeper water after being refloated late this morning but then moved into the shallower water near the Spit coastline.

© Scoop Media