The twelve melon-headed whales were found stranded in a mudflat hundreds of metres from the shore in Linhai, eastern China. Several departments immediately jumped to rescue, among them the department of fire, fishery, local public security, and additional nearby fishermen.
Due to the hot weather and distance from the shore, the rescue mission was incredibly difficult. The two-metre-long whales first had to be lifted onto stretchers and carried to a nearby dug-out puddle. Meanwhile, the animals had to be kept wet and cool by rescuers spraying them with water, wrapping them in wet towels and cooling them down with ice. The entire rescue mission was broadcasted live online.
In the end, eight of the melon-headed whales were successfully returned to the ocean under the watch of millions of online viewers. Sadly, the other three did not make it. Their bodies were frozen to be used for further research. The cause of stranding is still unclear.
The full article can be found here: 9 stranded whales saved in East China in dramatic rescue by officers and fishermen, broadcast live online - Global Times