A large group of manatees are stafe after being stuck in a storm drain overnight in Satellite Beach, Florida.
Now, repair crews are fixing communication lines that were disrupted during the rescue that streched into the early morning.
Just before 6 p.m. Monday, a manatee-rescue team from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, along with police and firefighters, arrived to help endangered mammals. Sea World rescuers are also helping with the effort.
"Manatees are incredibly curious. We've had this happen before where they follow a fresh water pipe,” said FWC marine biologist Anne Spelman. “Pipes get smaller, the manatees get stuck. They're not real good at going backward and we usually have to go in and get them."
Rescuers brought heavy earth-moving equipment to the satellite beach neighborhood, located on a barrier island along the Atlantic Ocean.
The manatees became trapped in at least two spots in the uncovered pipe which runs along Cassia Boulevard.
There were originally about 19 to 20 manatees stuck, but crews have managed to free the animals by 2:15 a.m.
Rescuers say rain is on the way in the next few days and if they don't get the manatees out, the mammals may drown.
Flashing emergency lights brought dozens of curious onlookers from their homes with cellphone cameras in hand as one by one the manatees were plucked free.
"It's awesome. The whole community is really coming together to try and get them out,” said resident Jen Milbourne.
"I think it's sad. I think they should've blocked off those ducts,” said resident Tosha Dimeglio.
It's not clear who first spotted the trapped manatees.
