On Sunday morning, Civil Air Support were alerted to the mass stranding of a pod of 55 pilot whales near Stornoway. British Divers Marine Life Rescue (BDMLR) quickly mobilised specialist Marine Mammal Medics to assist local experts already at the scene, however the logistics of getting them to the site proved to be complex and challenging.
In response, Civil Air Support dispatched a twin-engine Cessna 414 to Turweston, collecting a BDMLR Medic and equipment in Newcastle and Dundee before making its way towards the Isle of Lewis. Sadly, news of the whales’ demise was received before the aircraft made it to Loch Ness, just 90 miles short of Stornoway.
Adult Long-finned pilot whales can grow up to 2,300 Kg and reach a body length of up to 6.5 metres, making them extremely difficult to rescue once they become stranded. With limited communications on the Isle of Lewis and the location difficult for emergency responders to reach, the probability of a successful rescue was low. Despite their best efforts, BDMLR were able to refloat only one of the pilot whales.
Strandings of whole pods of pilot whales are not uncommon, as they are a particularly social species and stay together as a group with offspring remaining in their mother’s pod for life. In this case, one of the female cetaceans was known to have suffered a prolapsed vagina which may have resulted in the stranding.
Civil Air Support would like to thank those who participated in supporting the mission including ground staff and handling agents at Turweston Aerodrome, Newcastle Airport and Dundee Airport. The charity was only able to function due to the generosity of its crews, who donated their time and aircraft free of charge, and the support of those airports who waived fees and charges.
This week, Civil Air Support and British Divers Marine Life Rescue attempted a mission to save a pod of 55 pilot whales that had become stranded near Stornoway. Unfortunately, the rescue party realised the race against time was lost when news reached the aircraft that almost all the pilot whales had died. Despite their best efforts, only one of the whales was successfully refloated.
Adult Long-finned pilot whales can grow up to 2,300 Kg and reach a body length of up to 6.5 metres, making them extremely difficult to rescue once they become stranded. The stranding is thought to have been caused by one of the female cetaceans suffering a prolapsed vagina.
Civil Air Support expressed their gratitude to all those who provided support, including ground staff and handling agents at Turweston Aerodrome, Newcastle Airport and Dundee Airport. The charity was only able to function due to the generosity of its crews, who donated their time and aircraft free of charge, and the support of those airports who waived fees and charges.
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