Nineteen sea turtles that were rehabilitated in Missouri after suffering from cold-stunning in New England have been returned to the Atlantic Ocean.

The turtles were released off Jacksonville, Florida, on Wednesday afternoon. The journey was made possible by the Johnny Morris Sea Turtle Center in Springfield and the non-profit organisation Turtles Fly Too.

The turtles, including 20 loggerhead and Kemp’s ridley species, were transported from Boston’s New England Aquarium to the Wonders of Wildlife National Museum & Aquarium for treatment in December.

While one severely ill turtle did not survive, the remaining received around-the-clock care to recover from cold-stunning, a condition triggered by sudden drops in water temperature.