A sea of blood: Water turns red as hundreds of pilot whales are driven into the shallows and butchered with knives by Faroe Islanders in horrific 'grindadrap' hunt

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The sea has turned red with blood after Faroe Islanders slaughtered pilot whales yet again, driving hundreds of them into the shallows and butchering them with knives in a horrific 'grindadrap' hunt.

The fishermen resumed the controversial hunt in May and since then, Denmark's autonomous territory in the north Atlantic has killed more than 500 Long-finned pilot whales, officials there said today.

In the 1,000-year Faroese tradition known as 'grindadrap', or 'grind' for short, hunters surround pilot whales and dolphins with a wide semi-circle of fishing boats and drive them into a shallow bay where they are beached.

The fishermen then brutally slaughter them with knives on shore.

Every summer, images of the bloody hunt make headlines around the globe but the tradition is strongly condemned by outraged animal rights defenders who consider the practice barbaric. 

The sea has turned red with blood after Faroe Islanders slaughtered pilot whales yet again yesterday

The tradition which takes place every summer is widely condemned by animal rights groups

Hunters surround pilot whales and dolphins with a wide semi-circle of fishing boats and drive them into a shallow bay where they are beached and slaughtered

A Faroese government spokesman confirmed today: 'Yesterday there were two grinds, one with 266 catches and the other one with 180, according to the first reports.'

The two 'grinds', which involved a species of dolphin known as pilot whales, brings  number of 'grinds' to five so far this season.

John Hourston, founder of Blue Planet Society, condemned the latest hunting, calling it 'a horrific day even by 'Faroe Islands standards'. He described it as 'needless and unimaginable cruelty'.

Speaking to MailOnline, Mr Hourston added: 'It's unsustainable and unnecessary. This rich country does not need to kill whales to feed its population anymore. We're in the midst of a biodiversity and climate crisis. It's time for international sanctions against this ecocide.' 

Meanwhile Danny Groves, from Whale and Dolphin Conservation, described the grind as a 'distressing and cruel hunt that can last for hours, and from which very few whales ever escape'.

He told MailOnline: 'Over 20,000 whales and dolphins have been slaughtered over the last 20 years. Pilot whales live in tight-knit social groups and many are killed in front of their family members. 

'Once driven to the beach, blunt-ended metal hooks inserted into their blowholes are used to drag the whales up the beach or in the shallows.

'In recent years, concerns have also been raised about the health implications for eating whale meat which can contain high levels of contaminants. It is a pointless slaughter.'

In 2022, the government limited the number of Atlantic white-sided dolphins that could be killed per year to 500

The unusually large slaughter of more than 1,400 pilot whales last year sparked an outcry, even among locals

The two 'grinds', which involved a species of dolphin known as pilot whales, brings number of 'grinds' to five so far this season

Danny Groves, from the Whale and Dolphin Conservation, described the grind as a 'distressing and cruel hunt that can last for hours, and from which very few whales ever escape'

Environmental NGO Sea Shepherd, which managed to disrupt the 2014 hunt with its boats, criticised the fact that Danish navy vessels are authorised to intervene to block environmentalists from disrupting the hunt.

But the hunt still enjoys broad support in the Faroes, where supporters point out that the animals have fed the local population for centuries and accuse media and foreign NGOs of disrespecting local culture and traditions.

They typically kill around 800 pilot whales a year.

In 2022, the government limited the number of Atlantic white-sided dolphins that could be killed per year to 500, after an unusually large slaughter of more than 1,400 sparked an outcry, even among locals.

Shocking images have yet again surfaced this year of the sea transformed into deep red waters from the blood of the slaughtered pilot whales.

Scores of fishermen could be seen taking to the water, while others were seen dragging the lifeless bodies onto land.

Scores of fishermen could be seen taking to the water, while others were seen dragging the lifeless bodies onto land

'Yesterday there were two grinds, one with 266 catches and the other one with 180, according to the first reports,' a Faroese government spokesman said.

Scores of fishermen gather to take part in the 1,000-year long tradition in Denmark's autonomous territory

Environmental NGO Sea Shepherd, which managed to disrupt the 2014 hunt with its boats, condemned the latest killings

Dozens of dead pilot whales were seen hanging from boats and lying on the shores after more grinds continued this year.

The slaughter is a cultural mainstay of the autonomous Danish territory which is done to supply the archipelago with meat for the coming year.

Sea Shepherd has condemned the slaughters in a series of tweets, accusing fishermen of killing pregnant pilot whales and calves.

'This has to end,' they added.