This unique sequence made the rounds of the web and all the television news last winter. The operation to save the most dangerous predator on the planet, the killer whale, lasted more than a day.
It brought together dozens of EMERCOM staff, divers, and ordinary people who wanted to do something to help the trapped animals. In the waters of the Sakhalin region, a few meters from the shore, in the early morning, there were several large killer whales.
Presumably, a strong wind pushed them into the bay, and the ice that formed overnight prevented the animals from moving deeper. Absinthe was literally smashed with the help of Kamaz trucks and MES special vehicles. In the evening, three animals were released from their captivity.
The largest male, nicknamed Willie by rescuers, got stuck in the ice. Witnesses to the incident remarked that the shark did not behave aggressively, but instead helped the animal in any way possible as if it knew they were trying to help him.
In the evening, the poor animal began to lose consciousness due to dehydration. The ice being very hard, Willie remained on the surface of the water for almost a day, which was disastrous for him.
All night, rescuers stood waist-deep in freezing water, poured water over Willie, smeared Vaseline on his wounds from contact with the ice, and manually lowered the animal from several tons in the depths. Towards morning, the ice hole finally gave way, and Willie was free!
According to eyewitnesses, he said goodbye to people with a loud noise, and only then did he go to the depths!