A Minke whale was rescued from an almost certain death in south Kerry yesterday afternoon.

Local fishermen were alerted to the presence of the whale in the Roughty River in Kenmare at around midday yesterday.

Two local boats along with local vet Henk Offereins and his son Peter managed to keep the whale alive during the low tide and eventually managed to drag it into some water after a few hours.

The Minke whale was then herded under the Kenmare Bridge and out into open water where it safely swam out to sea.

Henk described to Radio Kerry what took place: