News 23K views since yesterday

Beachgoers splash seawater over stranded whale in eastern Indonesia

Footage shared by news.com.au shows residents and uniformed personnel trying to keep the animal wet in East Nusa Tenggara.

Channel:

news.com.au Story of November 1, 2026Trari Newsroom

Why this story? One of news.com.au's most watched videos since yesterday, with 22,819 views.

Locals race to try and save giant 82ft whale that washed up on shore

Buckets, small containers and cupped hands carry seawater onto the back of a whale stranded in shallow coastal waters in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia.

Footage shared by news.com.au shows residents, beachgoers and uniformed personnel gathered around the animal, repeatedly scooping up water and throwing it over its exposed body. A wider view reveals the shallow inlet and surrounding hills at low tide, with bystanders watching from nearby.

The report identifies the animal as a Bryde's whale and says the beachgoers are trying to prevent it from drying out in the sun. A front-facing shot shows its scale beside the people working around its head.

An on-screen caption says the whale is unlikely to survive, but the clip does not establish its eventual fate or show it being returned to deeper water. It ends with the effort still under way, as people continue throwing seawater over the stranded animal.

Published on Trari