Whales dead in mass beaching

READ MORE: Whales dead in mass beaching: "At least 14 whales from a pod of more than 80 beached on the New Zealand coast have died, with officials fearing others may be stranded elsewhere after freeing themselves on Saturday.

Department of Conservation staff were searching beaches west of the South Island tourist city of Nelson looking for survivors.

'We don't know whether they have managed to swim safely (out to) sea or whether they may have stranded somewhere else along the coast,' department spokeswoman Trish Grant said."