The shocking ritual turned the sea completely red off the Danish islands' shores

THE sea was turned red with the blood of whales during a gruesome ritual whale massacre on the Faroe Islands.

Hundreds of animals were slaughtered with lances by locals for the shameful Grindadrap festival after being forced towards the shore.

Rex Features

Rex Features

Rex Features

Pilot whales swimming close to the islands during migration each year are herded towards the coast by fisherman where locals wade into shallow water and hack them to death.

The cruel practice dates back to 1584, with whales pelted by stones to terrify them into beaching themselves.

Grindadrap is the Faroese term for whale killing, and the ritual can happen several times a year depending on how close whales get to the islands.

Slaughtering the animals is banned in Denmark, and across the EU, as they are a protected species.

But despite being a protectorate of Denmark, the Faroes are not a member of the EU creating a legal grey area, according to the charity Sea Shepherd.

Rex Features

Rex Features

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Hundreds of whales slaughtered in horrifying gruesome photos of ... - The Sun