Group of killer whales trapped in sea ice off Japan’s coast, officials say they have ‘no choice but to wait’

It’s unclear how the orcas were captured in this situation.

A pod of 10 killer whales has become trapped in sea ice near northern Japan, and officials are finding it difficult to rescue them.Citing information from Japan Public Broadcasting Corporation Japan Broadcasting Corporation, CNN Said the whale was trapped in sea ice near Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido. Local fishermen first spotted the fish and notified authorities. The outlet further said officials in the coastal town of Raus said they could find no way to rescue them.

“We have no choice but to wait for the ice to melt and let them escape from there,” an official told reporters. NHK WorldJapan.

Researchers have also been unable to reach the orcas due to large amounts of ice floes. Since there is no wind, the ice pack will not move, thus creating space for the pods to escape.

It’s unclear how the orcas were captured in this situation.

The Raus Coast Guard first learned of the whale’s condition on Tuesday morning when a local fisherman contacted them. Local organization Wildlife Pro LLC then sent a drone to the site to capture the trapped whale. according to CNN Report.

According to a statement on Facebook, the group said they encountered the whale while conducting ocean research.

An employee of Wildlife Pro LLC captured the video, “I saw about 13 killer whales with their heads sticking out of holes in the ice. They seemed to be having trouble breathing, and it looked like there were three or four small whales included. “.Tell Japan Broadcasting Corporation.

The sea ice around Hokkaido is the lowest in the world, but officials say levels have been declining for years due to global warming.

A similar situation occurred in 2005, when a pod of killer whales became trapped in drifting ice off the coast of the town and subsequently died.