The latest attempt to refloat a group of stranded pilot whales in Golden Bay has failed

Three of the whales have already died after becoming stranded near Pakawau yesterday.

Reporter Lachlan Rennie was among about 200 locals and holidaymakers who went to help throughout the day today.

He says people tried their best to push the whales out into deeper water at the last high tide.

But he says eventually the water got too low, and the effort was abandoned.