You might not have thought
a whale would be man's best friend, but sometimes life surprises you in the
most positive way. A Beluga whale has been praised for saving a drowning
diver's life in China.
The
26-year-old diver,Yang Yun, believed she was facing certain death when her
legs were paralysed by crippling Arctic temperatures during a free-diving
contest in north-east China.
It happened as competitors took part in a task to sink to the bottom of an
aquarium's 20-foot Arctic pool without breathing equipment and remain there for
as long as possible.
When Yang tried to head for the surface, she
realised that her legs were crippled by cramps. "I began to choke and sank
even lower," she explained. "And I thought that was it for me - I was
dead, until I felt this incredible force under me driving me to the
surface."
That force was a Beluga whale, one of a number inhabiting the pool at Polar Land in Harbin,China. Incredibly the whale, Mila, had spotted her difficulties and, using her sensitive dolphin-like nose, guided Yun safely to the surface.
"Mila noticed the problem before we did," explained an organiser. "We suddenly saw the girl being pushed to the top of the pool with her leg in Mila's mouth. She's a sensitive animal who works closely with humans and I think this girl owes her her life."
The extraordinary, life-saving and life-affirming moment was captured on camera by a spectator at the competition. Though perhaps we shouldn't be too surprised by the rescue.
Experts say intelligent Belugas were among the first whales to interact with man and have facial muscles that allow them to smile.
That force was a Beluga whale, one of a number inhabiting the pool at Polar Land in Harbin,China. Incredibly the whale, Mila, had spotted her difficulties and, using her sensitive dolphin-like nose, guided Yun safely to the surface.
"Mila noticed the problem before we did," explained an organiser. "We suddenly saw the girl being pushed to the top of the pool with her leg in Mila's mouth. She's a sensitive animal who works closely with humans and I think this girl owes her her life."
The extraordinary, life-saving and life-affirming moment was captured on camera by a spectator at the competition. Though perhaps we shouldn't be too surprised by the rescue.
Experts say intelligent Belugas were among the first whales to interact with man and have facial muscles that allow them to smile.
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