TITUSVILLE, Fla. - Biologists have released 400 turtle hatchlings onto a Florida Space Coast beach.

The sea turtles were born at a Kennedy Space Center incubation site, where thousands of eggs collected from Florida and Alabama beaches along the Gulf of Mexico have been sent.

Scientists are hoping the program will save thousands of baby sea turtles from the oil spill.

On Monday evening, hours after hatching, the turtles were taken to Playalinda Beach.

Biologists have released more than 2,600 hatchlings since mid-July, and some 13,000 eggs are currently at the spaceport. A program leader estimates 80 to 95 percent of the eggs will hatch.