Volunteers in New Zealand have managed to save around 100 pilot whales that swam aground on a remote beach on Friday.

300 of the animals have already died at Farewell Spit at the top of the South Island, in one of the country's worst mass strandings.

New Zealand's TV3 reporter Mitch McCann says the situation got worse this morning:

These tourists are among those who've been digging sand and trying to keep the animals wet:

Up to 300 whales are dead after being stranded overnight. pic.twitter.com/OfqkR1o2fg

— AJ+ (@ajplus) February 11, 2017