Valiant bid to save beached whale fails

An attempt to save a whale beached in Ballyheigue in Co Kerry has failed.

Ballyheigue Inshore Rescue responded to a report that a six-metre whale was stranded in low water at the local beach with its tail splashing about. With the aid of members of public, they lifted the animal back out to deep water, using ropes.

Upwards of 20 people were involved in the operation and the whale initially seemed to be swimming back out to sea, but it then began swimming parallel to the shore and headed towards the locally-known Black Rock.