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Drunk saved from dolphin attack
04/01/2007 12:03 - (SA)
Kiev - Ukrainian emergency workers prevented a pod of dolphins from drowning an intoxicated man in the Black Sea, the Interfax news agency reported on Wednesday.
The incident took place off a beach near the Crimean resort city Yalta, where a pair of patrolling emergency workers happened upon a swimmer under an apparent attack by the water mammals.
The man, reportedly heavily under the influence of alcohol at the time, was some 30 metres from land, near a wave breakwater, and calling for help.
The dolphins attempting to push the man out to sea, witnesses said.
The emergency workers brought the man back to dry land after approaching the breakwater via a pier, and striking the water repeatedly with clubs, so as to frighten away the dolphins.
"If our guys (the emergency workers) had not been there, the victim surely would have been drowned," said Vasyl Tenishchev, a spokesman for the Emergency Situations Ministry, Yalta branch.
"The dolphins probably were feeding on fish by cornering schools against the pier and the breakwater, and they saw the man as competition (for the fish)," Tenishchev said.
The swimmer was unharmed. He had plunged into the frigid winter water, averaging around four to six degrees Celsius, because of a belief swimming in cold water is good for the health.
Shot of vodka
Such persons in the former Soviet Union are generally known as "morzhi", or "walruses." Some "morzhi" will drink a shot of vodka immediately after bathing, however, intoxication while swimming is frowned on.
Dolphins in the former Soviet Union are commonly known as "morskie svini", or "sea pigs." They are apex predators in the Black Sea.
Disliked by fishermen for allegedly reducing fish populations, Black Sea dolphins lack the reputation of friendliness and love of humans enjoyed by dolphins in wealthy nations.
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