A pod of orcas, also known as killer whales, attacked and sunk a sailing yacht in the Strait of Gibraltar, between Spain and Morocco, according to a report in ABC News. Two people were on board when the incident took place, the outlet further said. They were rescued by a Spanish rescue team, which got the alert by the duo. The Alboran Cognac, a 50-foot yacht, was 15 miles (24 kilometres) from Cabo Espartel in Morocco when an unknown number of orcas began ramming it.
Though the crew members were rescued, officials were unable to salvage the sinking boat.
Spanish authorities have advised people sailing through the area to avoid certain areas. The Strait of Gibraltar connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea, separating Europe from Africa.
GT Orca Atlantica, a conservation group, said that more than 700 killer whale attacks have taken place since 2020. It further said there are more than 37 orcas in the Strait of Gibraltar.
"During the summer and autumn of 2020, interaction events began to occur between several specimens of this species and vessels, mainly sailboats, both in the Strait of Gibraltar and in the waters of the Galician coast," according to Spanish government officials. "These interactions have ranged from persistent approaches to ships, to ramming the hull and rudder, causing various types of damage, which continue today."
Maritime experts have not yet understood the reason why orcas attack these ships. However, some claim that the marine mammals could be targeting vessels for sport or they feel threatened.
In October 2023, a Polish tour agency's yacht was relentlessly hit by a herd of orcas for 45 minutes that led to "major damage and leakage," as per the company's Facebook update. The boat ended up sinking.
The killer whales also interfered with a sailing race last year when a boat travelling from the Netherlands to Italy had a 15-minute showdown with the animals. The crew was forced to drop its sails and make a ruckus to repel them.
