A major rescue effort is underway in the northern Coromandel after 60 pilot whales stranded themselves on the beach early this morning.
Colwill residents found the whales just after 5.00am this morning.
The local volunteer fire brigade is helping campers and locals to keep the whales cool and wet as rescuers concentrate their efforts on trying to free the whales at high tide midway through this afternoon.
It is believed there are several young calves among the pod.
Department of Conservation officials are digging a channel from the beach, to make it easier to get them into deeper water.
Late this morning 40 whales were still alive, but twenty had died.
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