70 dolphins washed up on Japanese beach

About 70 dolphins were found washed up on a beach near Tokyo today, but surfers and local residents co-operated in returning the mammals back to sea.

Surfers enjoying a wave ride initially reported sighting of several dolphins beached up in Ichinomiya, 43 miles east of Tokyo, said Ichinomiya town spokesman Takeshi Ide.

Ide said local officials later confirmed about 70 dolphins were washed up in a stretch of the beach.

Several local residents and about 50 surfers joined in rescue work and carried all of the beached dolphins to the sea, Ide said.

But about 15 dolphins were washed up again, apparently too weakened to swim away from the beach.