Ready for their closeup! Astonishing drone footage shows a close encounter with a family of orcas

Ready for their closeup! Astonishing drone footage shows the moment a Russian expedition has a close encounter with a curious family of orcas

  • Divers off the coast of Sakhalin Island in Russia spotted a pod of seven orca whales swimming together
  • Expedition leader Mike Korostelev, 39, located the whales using a drone after six days of search with snorkels
  • Snapped images of the whales from the side of their small boat, before getting in for some underwater images

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Divers off the coast of Russia could not believe their eyes after catching sight of a pod of seven orca whales swimming together. 

Drone footage captured the incredible close encounter as the pod swam around the whale-watchers’ boat, tapping the rib with their fins. 

The orcas were spotted during a diving expedition on July 13 near Sakhalin Island, a Russian isle just off the eastern coast in the Pacific Ocean. 

Expedition leader Mike Korostelev, 39, who captured the images, said the group had been searching for orcas in the area with snorkels for six days. 

‘After several days we found this very curious family. Everyone in our boat was so happy because we finally achieved our dream,’ he said.   

Divers off the coast of Russia could scarcely believe their eyes after catching sight of a pod of seven orca whales swimming together

Drone footage captured the incredible encounter as the pod swam around the whale-watchers' boat, tapping the rib with their fins

Drone footage captured the incredible encounter as the pod swam around the whale-watchers’ boat, tapping the rib with their fins

The orcas were spotted during a diving expedition on July 13 near Sakhalin Island, a Russian isle just off the eastern coast in the Pacific Ocean

The orcas were spotted during a diving expedition on July 13 near Sakhalin Island, a Russian isle just off the eastern coast in the Pacific Ocean

A group of divers watch over the side of their small boat

A pod of seven orca whales swims around the boat the coast of Sakhalin Island, Russia

A group of divers watched over the side of their small boat as a pod of seven orca whales swam around them off the coast of Sakhalin Island, Russia

The divers captured underwater images of the pod of seven orcas after they swam up to their boat near Sakhalin Island

The divers captured underwater images of the pod of seven orcas after they swam up to their boat near Sakhalin Island

Divers capture footage of the pod of seven orcas whales after spending six days snorkeling and looking for them off Sakhalin Island

Divers capture footage of the pod of seven orcas whales after spending six days snorkeling and looking for them off Sakhalin Island

The pod of orca whales swam alongside and around the boat during an incredible encounter captured in drone footage on July 13

The pod of orca whales swam alongside and around the boat during an incredible encounter captured in drone footage on July 13

Korostelev used the drone to locate the whales and hit gold on the sixth day of the expedition, with the pod of seven orcas.  

The whales swam up to the boat and started trying to play with the divers during the encounter, playfully tapping with hull with their fins, Korostelev said.  

Divers snapped pictures and video of the whales from the side of their small boat, before getting into the sea for some underwater footage and and images. 

Some of the whales in the pod were fully grown but others were noticeable smaller. Orcas typically grow to between five and seven meters in length, and weigh from 1,400kg to 5,400kg, depending on age and gender. 

The whales were tracked down by the expedition leader who used aerial footage from a drone to locate the pod of seven orcas

The whales were tracked down by the expedition leader who used aerial footage from a drone to locate the pod of seven orcas

Divers snapped images of the pod of seven orcas

The whales swam up to their small boat while just off the coast of Sakhalin Island

Divers snapped images of the pod of seven orcas after the whales swam up to their small boat while just off the coast of Sakhalin Island

The orca whales swam alongside the divers' boat after an encounter off the coast of Sakhalin Island, a Russian isle in the Pacific Ocean, on July 13

The orca whales swam alongside the divers’ boat after an encounter off the coast of Sakhalin Island, a Russian isle in the Pacific Ocean, on July 13

Divers snapped pictures and video of the whales from the side of their small boat, before getting into the sea for some underwater footage and and images

Divers snapped pictures and video of the whales from the side of their small boat, before getting into the sea for some underwater footage and and images

The pod of orcas playfully circled the divers' boat off the coast of Sakhalin Island, a Pacific isle off eastern Russia, on July 13

The pod of orcas playfully circled the divers’ boat off the coast of Sakhalin Island, a Pacific isle off eastern Russia, on July 13

The pod of seven whales were located by expedition leader Mike Korostelev, 39, after the group spent six days snorkeling the area

The pod of seven whales were located by expedition leader Mike Korostelev, 39, after the group spent six days snorkeling the area

The orcas interacted with the divers' on the boat while swimming around the rib and playfully tapping the hull with their fins

The orcas interacted with the divers’ on the boat while swimming around the rib and playfully tapping the hull with their fins

Divers snapped pictures and video of the whales from the side of their small boat, before getting into the sea for some underwater footage and and images

Divers snapped pictures and video of the whales from the side of their small boat, before getting into the sea for some underwater footage and and images

Some of the whales in the pod were fully grown but others were noticeable smaller. Orcas typically grow to between five and seven meters in length, and weigh from 1,400kg to 5,400kg, depending on age and gender

Some of the whales in the pod were fully grown but others were noticeable smaller. Orcas typically grow to between five and seven meters in length, and weigh from 1,400kg to 5,400kg, depending on age and gender

Korostelev used the drone to locate the whales and hit gold on the sixth day of the expedition, with the pod of seven orcas

Korostelev used the drone to locate the whales and hit gold on the sixth day of the expedition, with the pod of seven orcas

Korostelev used the drone to locate the whales and hit gold on the sixth day of the expedition, with the pod of seven orcas

 The whales swam up to the boat and started trying to play with the divers during the encounter, the expedition leader said

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