Experts work to free 70ft sperm whale stranded on sandbar

The whale was stranded on a sandbar off Florida’s Gulf Coast on Sunday (City of Venice Florida via AP)

Authorities were seeking to assist a beached sperm whale stranded on a sandbar off Florida’s Gulf Coast on Sunday, but said conditions in the water were too dangerous for crews to safely approach and administer a sedative.

The Venice police department said in posts on Facebook that the whale was alive on Sunday afternoon after it had beached on a sandbar about 50 yards from Service Club Park.