Post by fish on May 26, 2023 21:35:00 GMT 12
Normally when I see a story like this its on some click-bait MSM. However, this one is from Al Jazeera. Orca frequently attacking and sinking yachts (mainly only yachts) in the Strait of Gibraltar. Spanish authorities advise that if the behaviour of Orca change near you, that YOU leave the area. Kind of like playing 'statue' in the BoI when dolphins swim up and play on your bow wave. It sounds like juveniles playing. The orca version or ram raids.
Killer whales severely damaged a sailing boat off the coast of southern Spain, the local maritime rescue service has said, adding to dozens of attacks by orcas on vessels recorded so far this year off Spanish and Portuguese coasts.
The incident follows at least 20 interactions this month alone in the Strait of Gibraltar between small vessels and killer whales, according to the Atlantic Orca Working Group-GTOA, which tracks populations of the Iberian orca subspecies.
In the early hours of Thursday morning, 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 help, a spokesman for the maritime rescue service said.
The rescue service deployed a rapid-response vessel and a helicopter carrying a bilge pump to assist the 20-metre (66 feet) vessel, which was sailing under the United Kingdom’s flag, the spokesman said.
The Mustique was towed to the port of Barbate, in the Spanish province of Cadiz, for repairs.
The incident follows at least 20 interactions this month alone in the Strait of Gibraltar between small vessels and the highly social apex predators. In 2022, there were 207 reported interactions, GTOA data showed.
www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/26/killer-whales-damage-boat-in-latest-orca-incident-off-spain-coast
Killer whales severely damaged a sailing boat off the coast of southern Spain, the local maritime rescue service has said, adding to dozens of attacks by orcas on vessels recorded so far this year off Spanish and Portuguese coasts.
The incident follows at least 20 interactions this month alone in the Strait of Gibraltar between small vessels and killer whales, according to the Atlantic Orca Working Group-GTOA, which tracks populations of the Iberian orca subspecies.
In the early hours of Thursday morning, 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 help, a spokesman for the maritime rescue service said.
The rescue service deployed a rapid-response vessel and a helicopter carrying a bilge pump to assist the 20-metre (66 feet) vessel, which was sailing under the United Kingdom’s flag, the spokesman said.
The Mustique was towed to the port of Barbate, in the Spanish province of Cadiz, for repairs.
The incident follows at least 20 interactions this month alone in the Strait of Gibraltar between small vessels and the highly social apex predators. In 2022, there were 207 reported interactions, GTOA data showed.
www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/26/killer-whales-damage-boat-in-latest-orca-incident-off-spain-coast
