Diver Saves Orca Whale From 'Dolphin Tale' Like Disaster

The scene was eerily similar - A marine mammal in distress because its tail was caught in a human installed fish trap. Fortunately though, what happened thereafter was nothing close to the suffering that Winter, the famous star of the recent movie 'Dolphin Tale' had to endure.

The latest drama unfolded on Tuesday February 7th, when an orca whale's tail became entangled in a crayfish buoy, south of New Zealand's Hahei Beach. In order to breathe, the orca had to emerge from underwater. However, the buoy was attached to a crayfish pot that was too heavy for it to lift up.

Distressed, the mammal began to cry out for help. These pleas attracted not only other equally distressed orcas, but also, diver Rhys Cochrane, who was alerted by New Zealand's Department of Conservation.

By the time Mr. Cochrane arrived, the entangled orca had cuts all across its face, down its body and tail and was also bleeding - All indications that it had been struggling for some time. Without wasting a minute more, the diver dove straight down and cut through the rope with a knife.

As Rhys tried to help the mammal, neither it nor the six other killer whales that included a bull, made any attempt to attack him - They somehow seemed to sense he was an ally. As soon as the rope was cut loose, the orca took off, happy to be reunited with the rest of its clan. The best part about this rescue is that the diver managed to capture it all on tape!

Resources: 3news.co.nz, Grindtv.com