Officials in India say at least 50 pilot whales stranded themselves near the port city of Tuticorin on India's southern coast.
A Tamil Nadu state government official said Tuesday that the short-finned pilot whales began washing up on beaches Monday evening.
He said that officials from the fisheries department came to the beach to help with rescue efforts and about 36 of the mammals were put back into the sea.
But officials report that some the whales appeared to be disoriented, with some finding their way back to the beach.
Pilot whales travel in groups or pods, and the absence of a leader often confuses the group.
Officials say this is the largest whale beaching of this kind reported in the Tuticorin area.