Pod of killer whales trapped in drift ice off northern Japan ‘escapes safely’

A screenshot from drone footage shows a pod of killer whales bobbing up and down in a small gap surrounded by drift ice in Rausu, Hokkaido, northern Japan (NTV-NNN/AP)

A pod of killer whales that was trapped in drift ice off Japan’s northern main island of Hokkaido, prompting concern from environmental groups, has apparently safely escaped.

The killer whales, also known as orcas, were initially spotted by a local fisherman who reported them to officials in the nearby town of Rausu on the north-eastern coast of Hokkaido on Tuesday morning.