While it may sound quite like a scene from the famous whale movie ‘Free Willy’, recent news reported a Beluga Whale that sensed the distress of a free diver and saved her from drowning by pushing her up to the surface.

Free diver Yang Yun owes her life to a Beluga whale named Mila at Polar Land in Harbin, north east China. News reported that the 26 year old free diver had been taking part in a free diving contest without any breathing apparatus. Competitors had to swim to the bottom of a 20ft arctic pool and stay there for as long as possible. The large tank was home to beluga whales one of which spotted diver Yang Yun struggling as her legs paralyzed with crippling cramps due to the cold temperatures.

Lucky Yun told a reporter : “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.”

The Beluga Mila was said to have helped Yun by grabbing on to her leg with it’s mouth before organizers even noticed the problem and they watched in amazement how using her sensitive dolphin like nose the whale guided the helpless diver safely to the surface.

Beluga whales like dolphins, are known for their intelligence, sensitivity as well playfulness towards humans. These social creatures can grow up t 15ft (5m) in length and are a striking white color with a humped head. Beluga’s are popular for their amusing facial expressions unlike other whales and they have an almost perpetual smile giving them a friendly face. An amazing fact about this whale is that it unlike most whales can swim backwards.

Unfortunately the dwindling numbers of this species has put it on the Endangered list. Found particularly in very cold waters around Alaska, Canada, Greenland and Russia, the biggest threat to the whale is human caused pollution from our rivers which flow out to the oceans where this whale resides. Hunting is another reason.

Let the remarkable story of Mila the hero Beluga whale, one of our world’s beautiful creatures be a reminder to us all of the plight of our oceans today.