45-minute attack: Killer whales managed to sink a boat

Killer whales don’t gain their reputation as great predators out of nowhere, as noted by a crew sailing in the Strait of Gibraltar, off the coast of Morocco, whose boat sank 45 minutes after the mammals attacked sailors.

The unfortunate encounter took place on October 31, the Polish tourism agency Morski Mile, which was managing the boat for the excursions, said in a Facebook post.

The attack lasted 45 minutes: the group of killer whales collided with the rudder fin, causing significant damage to the boat and causing a leak.

The agency explained that “despite attempts by the captain, crew, rescue workers, port tugs and the Moroccan Navy to return the yacht to the port, the ship sank near the entrance to the Tangier Med Port.”

No crew member was injured during this incident. They were all returned to Spain after the events.

“For us, the yacht represents everything that is great about sailing at sea. Long-lasting friendships have been made on board. We have sailed on this sailboat to the most beautiful places in Europe and the Atlantic archipelago,” said the team.

However, the incident would not be the first of its kind in the Strait of Gibraltar, according to data from the GTOA research group that studies the presence of killer whales in this area, CBS News reported.

In fact, reported orca attacks have tripled over the past two years, rising from 52 between July and November 2020, to 197 in 2021 and 207 in 2022, according to the organization. These interactions will mainly affect sailboats.