MONTREAL – About a dozen killer whales that were trapped under sea ice appeared to be free after the ice shifted, a leader of a northern Canada village said today.
The animals’ predicament in the frigid waters of Hudson Bay made international headlines, and locals had been planning a rescue operation with chainsaws and drills.
Tommy Palliser said two hunters from Inukjuak village reported that the waters had opened up around the area where the cornered whales had been bobbing frantically for air.
“They confirmed that the whales were no longer there and there was a lot of open water,” said Palliser, a business adviser with the regional government.
“It’s certainly good news – that’s good news for the whales,” he said.