This week we have been following two dramatic whale rescue operations. On Monday a large pod of pilot whales was herded out of Kolgrafarfjörður fjord in West Iceland and yesterday a stranded bottlenose whale was rescued from the shore of Engey island outside the Old Harbor in Reykjavík.

Both operations went better than anyone had hoped. Not a single whale perished in Kolgrafarfjörður thanks to a local outdoorsman, Snorri Rafnsson, who jumped in the water to stop what is believed to have been the lead animal from beaching itself.

Read more: Video: Local kayaker rescues a stranded pilot whale in Kolgrafarfjörður fjord

Yesterday’s rescue of the bottlenose whales on Engey island was not as successful, as one of the two whales died before it could be guided back to the sea. However, as bottlenose whales are not expected to survive more than two hours on dry land, the fact that the even one of the two animals survived is a miracle. Its survival is no doubt thanks to the heroic efforts of volunteers who kept the animal wet and shielded from the sun for more than six hours after it was discovered.

The above photographs offer us a fascinating glimpse of yesterday’s rescue. We at Iceland Magazine would like to salute the volunteers who saved the whale, guides from local whale watching companies, the Icelandic Coast Guard and ICE-SAR, and we hope the animal will be safe and make a full recovery from its wounds.