Orcas Sink 50-Foot-Long Yacht Close to Strait of Gibraltar, With Nearby Oil Tanker Successfully Evacuating Onboard Crew; How Common Are Killer Whale Attacks, Interactions With Ships?

Just recently, orcas have straight-up sunk Alboran Cognac, a 50-foot-long yacht close to the Strait of Gibraltar.

Orcas Sink Yacht

The attack took place roughly 14 miles off the Moroccan coast.

Two people aboard the yacht were successfully rescued during this attack. According to them, the animals exhibited great hits by aiming for the yacht's rudder, hitting its hull, and ultimately causing a leak in the vessel.

While the attack was ongoing, the crew was able to radio an oil tanker nearby to ask for help. It then went to where they were and helped to evacuate them and bring them to Gibraltar. Moroccan maritime authorities say that the Alboran Cognac eventually sank after being left adrift.

Though it remains unclear if these orcas are part of the pod that has been concerning sailors within the Iberian peninsula, their behavior suggests that they could be the original attack culprits that topped headlines last year or that the earlier predators were educating other groups regarding their methods.

Orca Attacks, Ship Interactions

According to Grupo de Trabajo Orca Atlantica (GTOA), roughly 168 orca-ship interactions have happened, on average, since 2020, when such behaviors started to increase in the area.

So far, in 2024, researchers have tracked 26 ship interactions. According to GTOA, this could be anything from observing or approaching a ship to going near and coming into contact with it.

However, the Alboran Cognac appears to have been the first boat to sink due to a killer whale attack in 2024.

Last summer, such attacks appeared to occur almost daily. Some sailors expressed that the furious orca pods targeted their ships twice or even thrice within a day.

There are different hypotheses regarding why these animals have frequently attacked ship vessels in the last few years. According to some experts, these orcas, which are remarkably smart and share various psychological traits with people, are shocking and rocking boats for their enjoyment. Others also think that the leader of the main attacking pod, White Gladis, could be taking revenge due to an earlier boat-related trauma.

Killer Whales

Though orcas are known as killer whales, the endangered species are actually part of the dolphin family. They are considered the largest dolphins and one of the most powerful predators in the world.

Orcas can be immediately recognized by their unique black-and-white coloring. As adults, they can weigh as heavy as six tons and span up to eight meters.

Given their social and intelligent nature, they make various communicative sounds. Every pod also has unique noises that can be recognized by its members from a far distance. These killer whales also make use of echolocation for hunting and communicating, making sounds that move in the water until they meet objects and bounce back. This reveals their shape, size, and location.

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