ARCHIVED - Killer whales attack two sailing vessels off the Cadiz coastline in the Andalusia region of Spain

Orcas attracted significant attention last year attacking vessels off the Galicia coastline

In September last year the behaviour of a group of Orcas, often referred to as “killer whales”, although they are in fact the largest members of the dolphin family, attracted significant international attention after a series of vessels sailing in waters near to the Galician coastline, were attacked and the vessels disabled.

As a result, Salvamento Marítimo issued a warning to shipping advising that "in the case of sighting" of orcas "vessels should not try to approach", but give them a "wide berth" and maintain a "sufficient safety distance". In fact, a royal decree of 2007 defines a safety distance of 60 meters as mandatory.

Orcas regularly grow up to nine metres in length and weigh several tons, so when they decide
to ram a boat or “play with a rudder” they can easily disable a vessel.

All of the “attacks” on the vessels last summer targeted the rudder and investigators concluded that all of the incidents related to a specific group of juveniles, one of which had substantial scarring that appeared to have been caused by some sort of impact contact, probably with the rudder of a vessel.

The affected vessels were all medium-sized, measuring less than 15 meters. In addition, all the attacks took place between 2 and 8 nautical miles from the coast and the sailing speed ranged between 5 and 9 knots, either only under sail or under sail and motor.

The presence of Orcas in the waters off the Spanish coast is nothing new; the Galician coastline is renowned for its rich fishing grounds and marine life, shoals of migratory fish moving along its coast attracting hungry predators, a natural cycle which is repeated year after year, as shoals of tuna transit the Atlantic coast, pursued by orcas.

Orcas are highly intelligent hunters, using several techniques to hunt their prey depending on what is available.

Killer whales usually hunt in groups, one of their favoured techniques being to “herd” together shoals of fish, the adult males driving the fish and compacting the shoal for the rest of the orcas in the group to eat, generally hunting in areas where they can bring them to the surface, driving them together, and stunning them by slapping them with their tails, eating at leisure.

Orcas are also known for knocking seals off lumps of floating ice into the water in order to easily catch them by creating waves around the ice, working in a group, or driving fish into shallow water so that they can be harvested by beaching and they are uncowed by larger prey; ramming, biting and pulling at the pectoral fins of whales in order to wear them down, weaken them and attack as a group.

La Salvamar Arcturus acompañando ayer al velero tras la acometida del grupo de 10 orcas, que tuvo como
resultado la rotura de la pala del timón. pic.twitter.com/IzV5dz6E35

— SALVAMENTO MARÍTIMO (@salvamentogob) June 24, 2021

In the last few days two new incidents involving interaction between orcas and shipping have been reported, this time off the Cádiz coastline of the Andalusia region.
 

Velero Rockandroll sufre incidente por acometida de un grupo de orcas en cercanías de Punta Caraminal. Movilizada Salvamar Arcturus, que lo acompaña hasta el puerto de Tarifa. #SeguridadNáutica pic.twitter.com/3MOmWcIxce

— SALVAMENTO MARÍTIMO (@salvamentogob) June 23, 2021

The first of the incidents occurred on Monday, June 23, in the vicinity of Punta Camarinal, in Tarifa, when the Rockandroll yacht was attacked by a group of killer whales.

The Salvamar Arcturus was sent to her rescue and accompanied the vessel, suffering from a broken rudder, back into port.

The second incident occurred on Wednesday June 30, about 11 nautical miles south of Barbate, off the Tarifa coastline, also in the Cádiz municipality. In this case the target was the Lea Sailboat, with three people on board.

There are many theories as to why these Orcas are attacking boats off the Spanish coastline.

In the Royal Decree 1727/2007, of December 21, which establishes protection measures for cetaceans, "various national and international studies" are cited that show that marine activities alter the behavior patterns of cetaceans, causing a "constant state of stress produced by the transfer of boats and the persecution to which they are subjected on numerous occasions".

The decree also states: "In addition, maritime transport can have adverse effects on populations and their habitat, both by collision with individuals, especially fast boats or those dedicated to whale watching tourism, and by affecting their communication ", they add in the document.

Incidente por acometida de orcas esta tarde 11 millas al Sur de Barbate. Velero Lea (3 tripulantes) con el timón roto. Salvamar Enif lo remolca a Barbate. En caso de avistamiento de orcas no se aproximen y den amplio resguardo (foto de archivo) #Riesgos0 #SeguridadNáutica pic.twitter.com/ZM8zujxu9h

— SALVAMENTO MARÍTIMO (@salvamentogob) June 30, 2021

Theories range from play, to mistaking the boats for prey, to practising hunting techniques and even to attacking the boats from aggression towards a perceived threat.

Salvamento Marítimo has again issued the same warnings as in September last year, advising the crew of any sailboats involved in an encounter with orcas to maintain the same course and speed, without making abrupt changes and attempting to maintain a minimum 60 metre distance.

Images and videos: Salvamento Marítimo