Pilot whales re-beach themselves after rescue

From the Sunday Times:

Three of five pilot whales that were released into the sea on Sunday afternoon re-beached during the night, the National Sea Rescue Institute said on Monday.

"The City of Cape Town ... reported that during the night three of the five whales ... were found beached on Long Beach, Simonstown, at 11:30 pm," NSRI spokesman Craig Lambinon said in a statement. At 2:30 am on Monday, the three whales were euthanised after they were found to be in poor health.

"The False Bay coastline is being monitored by the authorities to determine if the remaining two whales may also beach," he said.

Nineteen pilot whales, mostly adults, beached at Noordhoek Beach in Cape Town on Sunday morning. A 20th whale had managed to swim back into the surf.

Lambinon, at the time, said five of them were transported to the Simonstown naval base and taken out to sea. One of them had rebeached in Simonstown and was later taken to sea on a tugboat.

Another nine whales were euthanased on Noordhoek beach, and another five died naturally.

Police, sea rescue and other services helped keep the mammals alive on the beach by using sheets and water. Attempts to refloat them had failed.