Video: Dolphins swim near SpaceX's Dragon capsule with Crew-9 inside, moments after splashdown

Fox13 ^ | 03/18/2025 | Josh Frigerio , Abigail Lafferty and Stuart Campbell

[BenLurkin]

A very Florida welcome home for NASA and SpaceX's Crew-9. Some curious dolphins seemingly wanted to give a personal "welcome home" to the Crew-9 astronauts, moments after they splashed down off the coast of Florida on Tuesday afternoon.

As the rescue teams surrounded SpaceX's Dragon capsule with NASA astronauts Suni Williams, Butch Wilmore, Nick Hague, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov inside, a small pod of dolphins was seen swimming around the area. You can watch that moment in the video player above.

[DesertRhino]

DOGE dolphins, they keep sharks away and make the recovery awesome.

[DesertRhino]

I was 10 or 11 years old before I learned that “damned yankee” was two words. I always heard them together.

[stars & stripes forever]

DOGE DOLPHINS 🐬🐬🐬

[Romulus]

Very thoughtful of Elon to arrange for the dolphins

[SunkenCiv]

They’ve been looking for something to do since they missed the playoffs.

[SaveFerris]

Fantastic movie

[linMcHlp]

The dolphins knew, that “Dragon” was a ship from outer space.

[SaveFerris]

I KNEW IT!!!!!

[DoodleBob]

Trump is a yankee.

[fidelis]

One of the very few things I miss about being born and raised in California—watching the dolphins frolicking through the waves. That and watching otters blissfully floating on their backs eating shellfish. God’s Creation is so beautiful.

[metmom]

Perhaps an Honor Guard would be better than an honorary recovery team.

However, it’s a beautiful and special sight to see that.

Dolphins are so awesome.

[Allegra]

I just loved the dolphins. 🐬

[Sacajaweau]

Gulf of America is toooooo broad...The two women monitoring pinned down where they were.... Thanks ladies...

[Sacajaweau]

Geez...us yankees know how to google.

Let's not get carried away with the Gulf of America...

[dfwgator]

They should have said that because yankees have no idea where Tallahassee is.

---

That’s where Clown U is.

[Paul R.]

Better dolphins than killer whales.

Definitely better!

[virgil]

Those judges have made a joke of the courts. Who can trust the courts anymore because of them? The judiciary needs reform as much as anything.

[Magnum44]

[MotorCityBuck]

LOL!
Start my day off with a Smile.

[Buttons12]

Dolphin to dolphin: “See I told you there are humans in those things up there!”