Heroic Sailor Risks Life Diving 40ft Off Cargo Ship To Save Whale Tangled In Fishing Net

An heroic sailor risked his life diving off the side of a cargo ship to save a whale that had got stuck in a fishing net.

The crew of the Cheikh El Mokrani tanker spotted the large mammal writhing around in the water, desperately trying to get free.

Then, after just a moment's consideration, one crew member hurled himself off the 40-foot-high deck and into the freezing sea below.

He then swims towards the huge animal and pushes its nose away from the net.

Another crew member then joins him and together they manage to get the sea creature free - which was met by huge cheers.

It's not entirely clear where the boat was at the time of the rescue, but its last reported position was marked on April 18, just off the coast of Tunisia.

Reacting to the rescue on April 19, YouTube users praised the bravery of the sailors.

Tom Scott wrote: "The feat was and is amazing to watch, it's good to see people who care and is willing to risk life and limb to save our planet."

And John S wrote: "Fantastic humanitarian act of kindness, I applaud them."