ARGENTINA | 02-10-2018 11:27

Stranded humpback whale rescued from town on Atlantic coast

The whale swam aground Saturday in the resort town of Mar del Tuyu, in Buenoes Aires Province, about 330 kilometres south (200 miles) south of the capital.

In this September 30, 2018 handout photo released by Mundo Marino Foundation, rescuers workers use a crane to save a stranded humpback whale in Mar del Tuyu, Argentina. The cetacean returned to the sea Monday after the successful rescue operation that lasted 28 hours. | AP-Mundo Marino

Authorities say a humpback whale stranded on Argentina's Atlantic coast has been sent back to the ocean safely after a round-the-clock rescue effort over the weekend.

Dozens of people worked for 28 hours digging around the seven-ton whale using heavy machinery.

The whale swam aground Saturday in the resort town of Mar del Tuyu, in Buenos Aires Province, about 330 kilometres south (200 miles) south of the capital.

The first efforts using a crane to bet the whale back into the sea failed.

Biologist Karina Álvarez said the animal floated but did not move its tail or pectoral fins because it was too weak. The waves eventually brought the whale back to the coast again.

Rescuers finally used a special harness to pull the whale back into the ocean using a tugboat Sunday.

- AP