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Around 25 pilot whales are believed to have been stranded on the Coromandel.
A large pod of whales has been stranded on a beach in North Coromandel.
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The Jonah Project said about 40 pilot whales were seen swimming in shallow, muddy water at high tide around 10 a.m.
Part of the pod avoided being stranded, yet a rescue mission is underway, with 25 whales stranded on the beach.
The Department of Conservation, the rural fire department and the local iwi are on site.
Project Jonah said the rescue could be an all-day response, however, no more help from the public is needed.
DOC Coromandel District Operations Manager Nick Kelly, who is on the beach, said there are between 40 and 60 pilot whales involved.
The capsule had split in two, he said.
People were helping to keep the stranded whales comfortable while the other pod was in shallow water and was driven out to sea.
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A pod of whales has gotten into trouble in shallow water near Colville on the Coromandel.
“Approximately 25 specimens have been stranded in the salt marshes at the site.”
The next high tide will be around 9 p.m., he said, which was unfortunate.
DOC staff appreciated the public’s concern and were accepting items such as buckets, blankets, and food to continue the rescue effort.
“But a key point for us is asking the public to stay away from the site to allow us to do our job,” he added.
Passerby Tellic Evans said the whales were north of the Colville school.
He said some whales were “well beached” as the tide had gone out.
About 100 people were there helping.
