- A group of orcas attacked a yacht in the Strait of Gibraltar, a tour operator said.
- The Grazzie Mamma II incident occurred on October 31st.
- Orcas, also known as killer whales, attacked the yacht for 45 minutes, the company said.
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Orcas have done it again, showing that they continue to despise boats for reasons scientists still can’t figure out.
For months, orcas, also known as killer whales, have been attacking boats – especially yachts, apparently – off the coasts of Spain and Morocco, sending several to the ocean floor.
A Polish travel company, Morskie Mile, said this is exactly what happened to its yacht on October 31. In a post on Facebook, the company said its ship, the Grazzie Mamma II, was in the Strait of Gibraltar when it was attacked by a group of orcas. The animals, which can grow up to 30 feet long, attacked the boat’s steering fin for “45 minutes,” the post said, causing “extensive damage.”
“The crew is safe,” the company added, but the boat itself sank at the entrance to the Moroccan port of Tanger-Med.
Scientists have offered several possible explanations for the behavior, including that orcas are reacting to past trauma — or just having a bit of fun, as when a pod in the Pacific Northwest swam with dead salmon on their heads for several weeks. Whatever the cause, it has been happening for years. Researchers have documented hundreds of attacks since 2020 (most are “bumps,” not full-scale attacks).
Morskie Mile did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment. But in its post, the company said it was grateful for all the memories, at least before the orca encounter.
“We sailed this yacht around the most beautiful places in Europe and the Atlantic archipelago,” the company said. “Love for the sea always wins.”