Florida fishermen had close, 'once-in-a-lifetime' encounter with pod of killer whales

A group of Florida fishermen shared a video of a rare encounter with a group of killer whales that went viral on social media earlier this week.

The group was fishing for swordfish near Key Largo when they spotted a pod of killer whales, also known as orcas.

“It was amazing and a once in a lifetime experience,” Mike Slaughter, owner of the boat, said in the Instagram post shared with the video.

The orcas were about 18 to 20 miles offshore in about 1,700 feet of water and had just killed something when the group of fishermen spotted them.

Naturally, some of the fishermen grabbed some snorkeling gear and jumped in the water to get a closer look — as did the whales.

In the video, you can see the whale partially breach before someone off-camera can be heard saying, “He’s coming right at you. He’s a big boy!”

The whale can then be seen swimming right underneath the surface of the water, just feet away from the boat as it cruises past.

Florida's ocean temperature rising: Florida water temps reached recording-breaking numbers. What about Pensacola?

After a few more curious passes, the pod of whales eventually disappeared, leaving the group with the stunning video and that once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Orca whales are a rarity in Florida but not unheard of. In January, a 20-foot-long orca beached itself along the northern Atlantic coast, where it died shortly after.

It was the first time an orca beached itself in the southeast since 1956 years, and was the third known orca to be stranded in the region.

Are orca whale sightings in Florida frequent?

If you count spotting an orca whale in SeaWorld, absolutely. Otherwise, orcas are most commonly found in colder waters, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Think Antarctica, Norway and Alaska.

They're not exclusively found in cold waters, however. Orcas have been spotted all over the world, even in tropical and subtropical waters — including the Gulf of Mexico and Florida's eastern coast.

Gaetz says he saw UFO: Matt Gaetz says photo of UFO 'orb' not of 'human capability' taken by Eglin Air Force Base

Are orcas endangered?

While it's hard to count a species that is found throughout the world, NOAA Fisheries estimates their global population is at least 50,000.

Hunters and fishermen once targeted killer whales and some were hunted for aquarium displays and marine parks. All killer whales are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, but except for Southern Resident killer whales in the eastern North Pacific, killer whales are not listed as endangered or threatened.

What is an orca's average lifespan? How long do killer whales live?

The average lifespan for male killer whales is about 30 years, but they can live up to at least 60 years, according to NOAA. Females typically live about 50 years but can live up to at least 90 years in the wild.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Orca whales spotted in Florida in rare, 'once-in-a-lifetime' encounter