Weekly photos: March 12 - 18

China's patrol ship "Haijian 50" patrols in waters near the offshore oil and gas fields of East China Sea, March 17, 2012. The patrol by China Marine Surveillance, the country's maritime law enforcement authorities, was carried out by two patrol ships "Haijian 50" and "Haijian 66", which arrived in waters near the offshore oil and gas fields of East China Sea Saturday. The ships joined "Haijian 46", "Haijian 51", "Haijian 15" and "Haijian 17" to make a cruising formation, which held a collaborative drill with helicopter "Haijian B-7115" there after arrival. [Photo/Xinhua]

A man touches a sperm whale stranded on the beach of the Yellow Sea in Yancheng, East China's Jiangsu province, March 17, 2012. Four sperm whales were found alive at 6 am Friday on the beach of Xintan Salt Field in the city of Yancheng, but died despite human rescue efforts, said a spokesman with the city government. [Photo/CFP]