Orcas don’t typically go around sinking yachts—but one pod in the Strait of Gibraltar did just that in 2023.
On October 31 of this year, a group of orcas relentlessly attacked a yacht for 45 minutes, damaging its steering fin and causing it to sink.
The crew of the boat, operated by the Polish tour agency Morskie Mile, managed to escape unharmed, but the vessel wasn’t so lucky.
Incidents Have Increased
Reports of Orcas attacking and sinking boats have increased dramatically in the past several years.
In 2022 alone, there were over 200 such interactions. So, what’s driving these highly intelligent creatures to attack boats?
We Don’t Know
“We don’t know,” Andrew W. Trites, a marine mammal expert, told CBS News at the time.
Mr Trites said that such behaviour remains “a total mystery.”
Some believe it could be related to orca behaviour patterns or maybe even a response to human activities.
Either way, it’s a growing phenomenon that’s leaving experts—and sailors—scratching their heads.
