Indian fishermen teamed up with locals at Sonapur Beach in Odisha to help a stranded whale shark back into the ocean.

Footage from February 25 shows the large fish struggling to free itself from the shallow waters on the beach.

Nearby fishermen alerted the local Forest and Environment Department and a team of officials arrived to aid in the rescue effort.

Tourists and fishermen on the Sunapur beach here were caught by surprise when a huge blue whale shark washed ashore today afternoon.

Local fisherfolk alerted the local unit of the Forest and Environment Department about the matter following which a team of officials arrived at the picturesque Sunapur beach in Chikiti Block of the district.

There was a mad rush of visitors to catch a glimpse of the rare species, dubbed as the largest living mammal. The officials assisted by locals are trying hard to push the shark back into the waters, reports stated.