Orcas Sink 15-Meter Yacht in Strait of Gibraltar, First This Year

May 14, 2024, 10:56 AM

A 15-meter sailing yacht sank in the Strait of Gibraltar after being rammed by a group of orcas. The incident, which occurred in Moroccan waters on Sunday, is part of a growing trend of orca attacks on boats in the area over the past four years. The yacht owners were rescued by a passing oil tanker. This latest attack marks the first yacht sinking by orcas this year and the fifth such sinking in waters off the Iberian Peninsula and North Africa in recent years. Spain's maritime rescue service confirmed the incident, and researchers are studying the increasing interactions between orcas and boats, which have totaled nearly 700 since 2020.