In 2020 and 2021, orca whales started attacking sailboats and fishing boats cruising off the Iberian peninsula and in the Mediterranian near the Strait of Gibraltar. Pods of juvenile orcas rammed sailboats and often grabbed their rudders or keels. More than 50 rogue orca attacks were reported in 2020 and 2021. So far, scientists are at a loss to explain the behavior.

This year, the attacks have continued. Last week, there was a report of a sailboat being sunk in an attack by a pod of orcas, 11 km off the port of Sines, Portugal. Five crew members were rescued by a fishing vessel in the coordination of the Portuguese Navy. This was the first reported case of a boat being sunk by an orca attack in the Atlantic.

There are also recent reports of attacks off the Galician coast of Spain. The Facebook group, Orca Attack Reporting notes that according to information provided by sailors and in ports, between Saturday and Monday at least ten sailboats have received assistance from Maritime Rescue after encountering killer whales while sailing along the Costa da Morte. Some of the yachts were damaged and left adrift.