A terrifying encounter with killer whales off the coast of Portugal left a yacht damaged and a tourist boat sunk on Saturday (September 13). The 'Nova Vida,' a 57-foot yacht, was attacked by a pod of orcas while sailing from Cascais to Sines. Onboard were three 20-year-old Norwegians planning a global expedition and their captain.

According to the Daily Mail, the attack began just after noon, with the orcas ramming the yacht's hull and rudder, causing the steering wheels to spin uncontrollably. Elise Wurschmidt, one of the crew members, recounted that the orcas pushed against the autopilot until the steering mechanism broke. The crew attempted to deter the whales by pouring vinegar into the water, though they doubted its effectiveness. Eventually, the whales moved on to attack the nearby tourist boat, 'Oceanview,' which sank after repeated strikes.

The Portuguese coastguard reported that the 'Oceanview' sank approximately five nautical miles from Fonte da Telha beach, south of Lisbon. Dive Magazine noted that all five people aboard were rescued without injury. This incident is part of a series of attacks by orcas on boats around the Iberian Peninsula, with over 250 boats damaged since 2020.

The orcas, identified as a sub-population known as Iberian orcas, are believed to be engaging in these encounters as a form of play. Renaud de Stephanis, president of Conservation, Information and Research on Cetaceans (CIRCE), explained that the orcas seem to lose interest once they break the rudder. The attacks have prompted guidelines advising sailors to avoid orca hotspots or stick to shallow waters.

The Portuguese National Maritime Authority confirmed that the crew of the 'Nova Vida' was unharmed and did not require medical assistance. The incident highlights ongoing concerns about orca interactions with boats in the region.

Dreena Gonzalez