Stranded killer whales make their way to sea in Russia

(Reuters) - A family of killer whales who were stranded in a silted estuary in the Russian Far East have made their way to the open sea after researchers directed them into deeper water, Russia's emergencies ministry said on Friday.

The four animals, two adults and two calves, beached in the estuary on the Kamchatka Peninsula this week and researchers and volunteers had to douse them with water at one point to prevent them from dying.

After one unsuccessful rescue attempt in which they missed the narrow exit during high tide, the orcas managed to leave the estuary on Friday, the ministry said on the Telegram messaging app where it also published videos of the rescue operation.

Orcas, or killer whales, belong to the sub-order of toothed whales but are also the largest member of the dolphin family, according to Whale and Dolphin Conservation.

(Reporting by Reuters; Editing by Michael Perry)