Two sailors were safely rescued in Spain after a pod of killer whales rammed their yacht in a coordinated attack.
The incident occurred on Monday, July 21, when orcas targeted the French yacht around 2 p.m. local time, according to The Sydney Morning Herald, The Independent and The Telegraph. While this was rare in the area, similar occurrences have been happening nearby in recent years.
Per the outlets, the sailors, one of whom was reportedly 60 years old, sent out a mayday call, while about two nautical miles from the Basque coastal town Deba, which is situated in northern Spain. They were safely transported to a port.
PEOPLE has contacted the Spanish coastguard for comment.
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According to the reports, rescuers said it was “uncommon” to hear of orcas attacking vessels in the region. However, orcas are more active further south, especially in the Strait of Gibraltar, which has been dubbed “orca alley.”
Stock image of Orcas.
Getty
Experts attribute the incidents to a specific group of orcas in a pod, per The Sydney Morning Herald. They reportedly target the vessels’ stern before hitting the rudder to stop the boat. In some instances, the boat has been sunk.
“For some unknown reason, the killer whales have developed a penchant for breaking the rudders of sailboats and once they have achieved this, they leave the boat alone,” Volker Deeke, professor of wildlife conservation at the University of Cumbria, told The Telegraph, adding that the cases should not be seen as orcas attacking boat.
Stock image of killer whales swimming near a boat.
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“During interactions, the animals remain cool, calm and collected without any of the behavioural signs of aggression such as splashing, or vocalisations,” he explained.
With the incident occurring in the area, there are growing concerns that similar encounters might occur further north moving forward so experts are providing some advice on what to do.
Boaters are advised to turn off their engines if they’re approached by orcas, per The Sydney Morning Herald. Guidelines also suggest that they lower the sails and turn off echo sounders and autopilot.