Over 160 whales stranded on the western Australian coast

More than 160 long-finned pilot whales beached on the western Australian coast Thursday and at least 30 died before wildlife authorities could begin a rescue attempt.

The whales are stranded at Toby Inlet in Geographe Bay, the Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions said.

The area is near the town of Dunsborough in a region popular with tourists, and about 236 km (146 miles) south of the state capital Perth.

A team of wildlife officers, marine scientists and veterinarians had reached the scene to rescue the standard whales the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions said in a statement.

The Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) Pia Courtis said 29 whales have died, with biological samples to be taken from the animals before they are removed.

She said more than 100 have since moved offshore, but she did not rule out the possibility of their return. “We’ve got vessels out on the water and we’ve also got a spotter plane up in the air that’s doing searches over every couple of hours to see where they are,” she said.

“So far so good, they haven’t made it back to shore.” Local whale researcher Chris Burton said the scene of the stranded whales had been distressing. “You can hear them talking and squeaking and breathing,” he said.