Killer whales behind attacks on boats sink another as crew make SOS call

14 May 2024 , 10:11

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Orcas have been targeting boats in the area since 2020 (Image: Getty Images)

A 50ft boat sailing near Gibraltar has sunk after a being damaged by killer whales behind a series of disturbing attacks in the area since 2020.

The Alboran Cognac boat has become the first vessel this year to be sunk by orcas who managed to damage the rudder and cause a leak into the ship. Crew members made a panicked call to rescue services after sailors said they had felt hits on the hull, local outlet El Pais reports.

The ship was floating 14 miles from Cape Spartel, at the southern entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar, in Moroccan waters, at the time of the attack. Members on board were quickly rescued by a nearby oil tanker around 10am, before the sailboat floated away and sank.

Experts say that the first ship wreck caused by orcas should be tied to 15 Iberian killer whales, known as gladis. White Gladis, Black Gladis and Grey Gladis, thought to be the worst culprits, have destroyed several boats over the years between the north of the Iberian Peninsula and the Strait of Gibraltar.

Experts say ramming of boats is just a game for the marine mammals (Getty Images)

The sharks have been linked to seven shipwrecks so far - five of which from sailboats and two from fishing vessels. There have also been hundreds of terrifying attacks on boats off Gibraltar, Spain, Portugal, France and Morocco.

Beachgoers flee in terror after mistaking whales for vicious attacking sharks

Experts believe the ramming of boats is seen as a game for the mammals and a sign of sociability as opposed to a fight for survival. An Atlantic Orca Task Force (GTOA) has recorded at least 673 interactions - which has seen the killer whales approach boats, with or without contact - between the pod of orcas and vessels since 2020.

Attacks on small boats were found to follow the same pattern in a study in Marine Mammal Science in 2022. The pattern sees orcas approach from the stern, disable the boat by hitting the rudder, and then lose interest and swim away. Experts say the marine mammals may be teaching others how to pursue and attack boats, particularly their calves.

It is also believed that one orca learned how to stop the boats, and then went on to teach others how to do it. Last year, a series of attacks saw dozens of vessels damaged, with footage capturing orcas ripping off rudders and slamming themselved into the side of boats.

Zahra Khaliq