Five people were rescued after a pod of orcas struck their sailboat, causing it to tilt from side to side before taking on water and sinking as concern has been raised amongst sailors
Shocking footage showed the moment a boat was sunk after repeatedly being struck by a pod of orcas. The incident, which took place on September 13, resulted in the group needing to be rescued as the yacht sunk.
Video footage shared online shows the sailboat – part of the Nautic Squad Club – being rammed multiple times by orcas. Witnesses saw one orca striking the hull continuously, causing the yacht to tilt from side to side. Eventually, the vessel began to take on water before it sank.
Five people were onboard the yacht in Portugal when it was sunk. All were rescued safely by nearby tourist boats and lifeguards from the Lisbon Maritime Search and Rescue Coordination Centre.
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The same pod of orcas has also been linked to another incident further north, off Cascais, where a second yacht was reportedly attacked. Although that vessel did not sink, it was damaged. All aboard that second boat were also rescued.
Portuguese coastal authorities confirmed they received the first alert at approximately 12.30pm. Rescue teams were dispatched immediately upon receiving the report.
Experts and onlookers caution against interpreting the orcas’ actions as malicious. Many believe the rammings stem from curiosity or playful behavior rather than aggression.
Still, the force and repeated nature of the strikes can cause significant damage – even to large marine vessels.
The incident has sparked a wave of concern among local sailors and boating associations.
Many are calling for clearer guidelines, warning systems, and protective measures for yacht owners, especially in known orca-activity areas.
Meanwhile, marine biologists are closely documenting the interactions to better understand the behavior and prevent future losses.
Despite their nickname of ‘killer whale’, there have been no recorded deaths of humans from wild orcas.
There have been four fatal incidents involving captive orcas since the 1990s, with the orca Tilikum from Sea World being involved in three of them.
The whales got their nickname from ancient sailors who saw them hunt larger whales. While they are unlikely to cause harm to humans, they can damage vessels.
The first orca-boat interaction was reported in May 2020, and there have since been more than 750 encounters where orcas push or ram into boats.
According to experts, orcas typically attack boats through playfulness, boredom, or a learned “fad” among a specific subpopulation, with individual orcas like White Gladis potentially starting the behavior after a traumatic event like a collision with a boat or nets.
While the behavior appears aggressive to humans, it is not considered an act of hunting or harming humans, and other theories include territoriality and frustration from boat noise disrupting their communication.
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