In a statement, South Africa's National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) revealed that six of 19 pilot whales which were stranded at the Noordhoek Beach in Cape Town on Sunday morning have died, and some of the surviving whales will be put to death.

According to the information shared by NSRI spokesman Craig Lambinon, seven of the surviving whales are "in poor health." Stating that the NSRI is making attempts to save those whales, Lambinon said that the whales which cannot be saved will be "humanely euthanased."

Further adding that the surviving whales at Noordhoek Beach had been hosed down by police and other rescue workers in an effort to keep them alive, Lambinon said that the authorities had mulled the decision whether to try and refloat the whales which had washed up on the beach on Sunday.

Urging the public to stay away from the beach because a lot of workers on the beach are trying to help the whales, Lambinon said that one of the whales being rescued was being transported to a naval base and will be taken out to sea.

Lambinon said that "at this stage the first whale is on its way on a trailer to the naval base"; and added: "There are a remaining five whales in good health and we are going to attempt to do the same for them."