Environment

Drowning Diver Saved by Beluga Whale

by Amy Judd | July 29, 2009 at 01:22 pm

868 views | 60 Recommendations | 6 comments

Yang Yun was diving in an aquarium at Polar Land in Harbin, China, when she suffered paralysing cramps due to arctic temperatures and she thought she was going to drown. She was part of a diving competition where competitors had to free fall to the bottom of the 20 feet pool and stay there as long as possible.

But when she couldn't swim to the top herself, she felt a whale push her to the top of the water so that she could breathe again.

But when Yun, 26, tried to head to the surface she found her legs were crippled by cramps.

"I began to choke and sank even lower and I thought that was it for me – I was dead. Until I felt this incredible force under me driving me to the surface," she explained.

Mila was the first one to notice a problem and she took action. An organizer said:

"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 life."

Beluga Whales are known for being able to interact well with humans.

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alia_d

at 13:25 on July 29th, 2009

aww, what a nice beluga!

158

at 13:31 on July 29th, 2009

That whale should get an award.

Pythiian1

at 14:47 on July 29th, 2009

Wonderful story and photos. Thank you, Amy for this piece.

Paschen

at 16:44 on July 29th, 2009

It is always amazing what those animals do for us and we kill them in return with all our gratitude.

Hum, I do Wonder some times who is the less evolved here? Then again, I know Humanity is less evolved, just wondering, since If I had been a Beluga I would make sure all Human drown. But they are more Human then we are.