Incredible footage shows moment an Otter ESCAPES Orca by jumping on a boat

This is the moment that an otter made a miraculous escape from a preying orca by jumping on a boat to safety. 

Footage shared by a user on Reddit shows an orca bearing down on an otter, before the latter made an incredible jump on board the vessel to avoid being captured. 

John Dornellas, 40, filmed the animal frantically swimming towards him as the orca followed in Halibut Cove Lagoon, Alaska.

Another captain, Chantrelle Major, who also filmed the moment from her vessel nearby, watched as the killer whale circled Mr Dornellas’ boat in search of the sea otter. 

The sea otter jumped onto the transom of Mr Dornellas’ boat just seconds before the orca, also known as a killer whale, emerged from the waters.

In disbelief, John then shouts ‘Are you kidding me?’, as the otter climbs on board the boat. 

Meanwhile, the orca can still be seen mere feet away from the raft, after which the individual shows the heroic otter jumping between the boat and the water a number of times.

Commenting on the incident, Mr Dornellas said: ‘I felt absolute awe – there was a visceral energy in the air that I can’t explain, a powerful hunting energy coming from the orca. 

‘Utter, primal fear from the otter was also felt, but the combination of such power and helplessness left a knot in my stomach. ‘I felt incredibly fortunate to be able to see such an interaction.

‘I believe the orca had an otter pup in its mouth, so I’m guessing that’s why the otter kept getting back into the water, but eventually it climbed aboard, refusing to leave.

‘After days on end running the boat for 14 hours a day, I was tired and feeling a bit low, but this ‘wink’ from God powered me right back up and made the rest of the day easy.

‘Nothing I could plan for or do could possibly arrange this encounter, so I was left feeling humble and grateful.’

The video, which has received nearly 5,000 reactions on Reddit, has seen users marvel in awe at the otter’s bravery.  One user said: ‘Something tells me it’s not that otter’s first time hiding on that boat..’

Another joked: ‘Its our boat now buddy.’ 

The beginning of the clip shows the orca briefly emerging to the surface, before it goes underwater and seems to chase the otter, who appears doomed. Orcas, which were first given the name killer whales because they were observed to attack other marine animals, are the largest member of the dolphin family and live in groups in the sea called ‘pods’.

A third captured the desperation of the situation, commenting: ‘Any port in a storm.’ A fourth added: ‘Not today, Orca. Not today.’

Orcas, which were first given the name killer whales because they were observed to attack other marine animals, are the largest member of the dolphin family and live in groups in the sea called ‘pods’.

The sea animals, who are capable of navigating and hunting underwater, can often be seen in southeast Alaska between early May and early June.