Orcas in Russia – level 3
A real case of "Free Willy" – rescue workers braved freezing waters to save four orcas who'd got trapped between ice in the far east of Russia.
The whales had got stuck overnight, with the Head of Russian Emergency Ministry in the region explaining the waters are shallow and filled with stones.
The team had to take a small boat to reach the whales, who were between 50 to 100 meters from the coastline. They then had to move the ice to create gaps the whales could swim through. It took them several hours, but they managed to get three of the whales, including one calf, to freedom.
The rescuers stayed with the fourth orca, protecting it from the ice, until higher waters allowed it to join the others.
Difficult words: brave (to get through a difficult experience), trapped (not able to move), calf (a young animal).