Efforts Fail To Save Orcas

Friday, March 4, 2005
MOSCOW, RUSSIA - Six whales trapped in ice on the shores of the southern Kurile Island of Iturup have died, a spokesman for the Sakhalinrubvod department said on Friday. The Sakhalin region administers all the Kurile Islands and the island of Sakhalin.

Residents of the village of Reidovo, who witnessed the tragedy, failed to save the animals despite making titanic efforts.

After the death of two whales in an ice trap, locals started trying to save the remaining four by digging a channel between the small patches of water in the ice to allow the whales to move and breathe.

However, another three whales died on Thursday and on Friday died the last one. Natalia Yevtushenko, one of the villagers, said, "People made titanic efforts to save the whales, but the strong wind which drove hummock ice fields from the Sea of Okhotsk to Prostor Bay proved to be too much."

Snow fell continuously on Iturup for two days, and the rescuers themselves came under threat. Two fell into the water, but were assisted in time and then sent back to the village. However, after a change of clothing, they were soon back at the scene of the rescue effort.

The island authorities even asked the military deployed on the island to assist them. They asked soldiers to blow up the ice in the bay, or to evacuate the whales either by land or by helicopter.

However, all three ideas were rejected. It was thought an explosion could deafen the whale, while the 15-centimeter ice was too thin for a crane. Transporting the whales to safety by helicopter was not seen as a realistic option.

Source: RIA Novosti