Recent sightings of a pod of killer whales off the coast of the Cayman Islands mark only the eighth occasion the elusive mammals have been officially recorded in these waters.

Anecdotally, there are suggestions of more frequent sightings, but the range and habits of orcas, both around Cayman and in the Caribbean at large, is a mystery that researchers are only just beginning to unlock.

Fishermen Chris Briggs recorded stunning drone footage after sighting the pod off East End last week.

Jaime Bolaños-Jiménez, one of the leading researchers on orcas in Caribbean waters, told the Cayman Compass there was very little known about the presence, range and family associations of the creatures in the region.