Report: Sailing boat off the coast of southern Spain severely destroyed by killer whales

According to Reuters, a sailing boat off the southern coast of Spain was severely damaged by killer whales on Thursday, adding to the increasing number of orca attacks on vessels along the Spanish and Portuguese coasts this year.

The pod of orcas caused significant damage to the Mustique, puncturing its hull and shattering the rudder as it was en route to Gibraltar. The maritime rescue agency spokesperson reported that the four-person crew had to seek assistance from Spanish authorities due to the extent of the damage.

Although endangered orcas are actually part of the dolphin family, they are commonly referred to as killer whales. They can reach lengths of up to eight meters and weigh up to six tonnes as adults.

The maritime rescue agency dispatched a rapid-response vessel and a helicopter carrying a bilge pump to aid the 20-meter Mustique, which was sailing under the British flag. The boat was subsequently transported to Barbate port in Cadiz province for repairs.

April Boyes, a British sailor on board the Mustique, posted photos and videos of the orcas’ destructive behavior on her Instagram account. In the videos, she can be heard describing how the orcas were “biting it apart” and tearing pieces off the boat for an hour. Boyes later expressed her gratitude to the coastguard and mentioned the fear she experienced due to the significant damage to the boat.

The incident follows a series of encounters between small vessels and orcas in the Strait of Gibraltar. The GTOA, a research organization monitoring the Iberian orca subspecies, reported at least 20 confrontations this month alone, with a total of 207 documented encounters in 2022.

Earlier in May, the sailing vessel Alboran Champagne was struck by three orcas near Barbate, resulting in the boat being submerged and unable to be salvaged.

To mitigate disturbances to the animals during their movements, the Spanish Transport Ministry issued guidelines stating that ships should leave the area promptly if they observe any changes in orca behavior, such as unexpected alterations in direction or speed. Additionally, any interaction between a ship and an orca must be reported to the authorities.