Stranded whale rescue at Dingieshowe
(Picture: Craig Taylor)
Rescuers are battling to save the life of a pilot whale which became stranded on an Orkney beach today.
The stranding of the whale, a female, was reported to Ross Flett of the British Divers Marine Life Rescue organisation, who is coordinating the rescue attempt at Dingieshowe Beach on Orkney’s East Mainland.
Initially it was tourists visiting the beach who contacted the local SSPCA to report the stranding earlier this afternoon, around noon, as the tide was going out.
Local trained volunteers from the BMLR organisation refloated the 3.8m long whale using specialised floatation bags on the rising tide this evening, and attempted to guide it back to sea.
By 6.30pm it was back in the sea, but kept turning and returning to the beach, and the rescue effort continues.
Mr Flett said that pictures of the dorsal fin had been taken to see if the whale was linked to the recent strandings of pilot whales in Skye.