Massive pod of whales stranded on Tasmanian coast

About 230 whales have been stranded on Tasmania's west coast after 14 sperm whales were found beached on an island off the southeastern coast.

According to the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania, the pod, which is stranded on Ocean Beach, appears to be pilot whales and at least half are presumed to still be alive.  The department said a team from the Marine Conservation Program was assembling whale rescue gear and heading to the area. Fourteen sperm whales were discovered Monday afternoon on King Island, part of the state of Tasmania in the Bass Strait between Melbourne and Tasmania's northern coast. Two years ago, about 470 long-finned pilot whales were found beached on sandbars off Tasmania's west coast in the largest mass-stranding on record in Australia. After a weeklong effort, 111 of those whales were rescued but the rest died.