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Beached
Five pilot whales die after pod gets stranded on Donegal beach
The pod of pilot whales have become stranded for a second time today.
FIVE WHALES HAVE died today in County Donegal after a pod of 13 pilot whales got stranded on a beach in Falcarragh.
Scores of locals tried to guide the whales into deep water as the tide came in.
The remaining whales that were freed have become stranded again this evening further along the coast.
The Irish Coastguard told TheJournal.ie that a crew and the gardaí are at the scene.
“We are there to ensure that people do not put themselves at risk. A lot of people have been heading down to the beach to try and help,” said a spokesperson.
He said that they had spoken to the Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, who are also at the scene, for advice.
“Very little can be done. It is a very sad thing that often happens to pilot whales,” he said, adding that they were told that trying to manoeuvre them might cause more stress to the whales.
RTÉ Six One News reported that the local authority have said this evening that nothing more can be done and they simply have to let nature take its course.
This is the thirteenth stranding of whales in Donegal this year.
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