SPAIN: Killer whales severely damaged a sailing boat off the coast of southern Spain, adding to dozens of attacks by orcas on vessels recorded so far this year off Portuguese and Spanish coasts, the maritime rescue service said.
According to AL Jazeera, the incident follows at least 20 interactions this month alone in the Strait of Gibraltar between vessels and killer whales, according to the Atlantic Orca Working Group-GTOA, which tracks populations of the Iberian orca subspecies.
A spokesman for the maritime rescue service said that in the early hours of Thursday, a group of orcas broke the rudder and pierced the hull after ramming into the Mustique as it sailed to Gibraltar, prompting the sailing boat’s crew of four to contact Spanish authorities for support.
The spokesman said the rescue service deployed the rapid-response vessel and a helicopter carrying a bilge pump to assist the 20-metre vessel sailing under the UK flag.
The Mustique was towed to the port of Barbate, in the Spanish province of Cadiz, for repairs.
The incident follows at least twenty interactions this month alone in the Strait of Gibraltar between vessels and the highly social apex predators. In 2022, there were 207 reported interactions, GTOA data showed.
Yesterday two ships interacted, one north of Tanger, towed, and the other south of Barbate. But at this moment a third ship is entering the area and seems to be having difficulties. Consult maps and traffic lights in the app (GT Orcas) and on the web https://t.co/GUq8icOtkX
— Orca Ibérica GTOA (@Orca_Iberica) May 24, 2023
Although known as killer whales, endangered orcas are part of the dolphin family. They can measure up to 8 metres and weigh up to six tonnes as adults.
Earlier this month, the sailing yacht Alboran Champagne suffered a similar impact from three orcas half the nautical mile off Barbate. The ship couldn’t be towed as it completely flooded and was left adrift to sink.
