Orca Mischief Sinks Yacht

Brendan Stephens reports on the strange accounts of the involvement of orcas with boats.

Image Credit: Stephen Bidwell

On October 31st, A Polish yacht was sunk by a pod of orcas sailing in the Strait of Gibraltar. For an attack that lasted almost an hour, the pod struck the boat’s rudder. The boat sank near the Moroccan port of Tanger Med. There were no casualties or injuries in the incident. The crew of the yacht was able to escape with the assistance of a search and rescue team, as well as the Moroccan Navy.

“Nobody knows why this is happening,” Andrew W. Trites, professor and director of Marine Mammal Research at the University of British Columbia, told CBS News in May. “My idea, or what anyone would give you, is informed speculation. It is a total mystery, unprecedented.”

Since 2020, interactions with boats and orcas have been increasing. 197 interactions were recorded in 2021, and 207 were recorded in 2022, noting that the interactions mainly affected sailboats. The connection as to why orcas are ‘attacking” boats is unknown. It is possible they feel intimidated by the boats or have had a previous negative experience with boats, which is why they lash out. Fishing vessels and motorboats have all had their run-ins with orcas in the region, though sailboats appear to be the most popular target, according to a 2022 study. The tour agency Morskie Mile did not immediately reply to a request for comment. The motives for the attacks are unclear. It is unclear if the people on the yacht provoked them or invaded their territory.

It is becoming increasingly risky to travel on the waters due to the conflicts that happen in the open waters. The Orcas’ behavior is being heavily monitored and studied to further learn how to decrease their hostility.