Video shows boater barrel through orca pod in Vancouver
VANCOUVER, B.C. -- Orcas in our region face all kinds of dangers, and new video posted online showing one of those dangers is really stirring up outrage.
In the video taken Saturday, an orca pod was spotted in the water just off Stanley Park in Vancouver, B.C. Nearby boaters slowed to a crawl or shut off their engines entirely, except for this boater:
A man and his wife said they were at the park when they spotted the orcas. The man took his phone out and started taking video, catching the moment a speed boat barrels through the water in the exact spot where whales had just breached the surface.
Other boaters and people on shore were screaming at the boater to slow down. They say the boater ignored them -- or didn't hear them.
A scientist told CBC that one of the biggest killers of orcas around the world is being struck by vessels.
It's not only dangerous for whales and boaters, it's also illegal:
Q13 News graphic showing restrictions for boaters who see whales in Canadian waters
For a full explanation of boater regulations around whales, click here to view the Be Whale Wise guidelines.