This is the latest killer whale attack in this area, where the huge animal caused severe damage to the British-flagged yacht ‘Mastic’ after continuing to ram and bite it.
The whale’s teeth pierced the ship’s hull as it sailed towards Gibraltar in the early hours of Thursday.
A spokesperson for the Maritime Rescue Service said the damage caused the crew of the 20m yacht to contact Spanish authorities for help, who in turn dispatched a rapid response vessel and a helicopter carrying a water pump.
The British sailors, who were on board the yacht April Boys, posted photos and videos documenting the effects of the attack on their Instagram account.
In one of the videos, he can be heard saying, “It’s like they’re biting her (the ship).”
“What started as a single encounter ended with the orca cutting off the rudder and then tearing the boat apart for an hour. A huge hole in the hull caused water to enter other parts of the yacht and in the engine room.”
“I can honestly say it was a terrifying experience. We are all safe and I am so grateful to the Coast Guard,” she said, expressing her fear.
The Mastic was towed to a port in the Spanish province of Cadiz for repairs.
According to the ‘GTOA’ research group, which tracks groups of orcas, the incident comes after at least 20 incidents this month alone in the Strait of Gibraltar between small vessels and large marine animals.
The group’s data showed that “in 2022, 207 interactions were reported between killer whales and ships”.
Earlier in May, a sailboat suffered a similar attack by 3 killer whales, half a nautical mile from Parbati.
The relevant authorities were unable to remove the vessel, as it was completely flooded and left to sink.
Guidelines issued by the Spanish Ministry of Transport state that when vessels notice a change in the behavior of killer whales, such as sudden changes in direction or speed, they must leave the area as soon as possible, calling for reports of any interactions with them. . to the authorities.
Although known as “killer whales”, the endangered orcas are part of the dolphin family and can grow up to 8 meters in length and weigh up to 6 tons.
Read the Latest World News Today on The Eastern Herald.
