After months of silence, a new sailboat appeared. rammed and sank a group of killer whales in the Strait of Gibraltar, the Spanish Maritime Rescue Service said on Monday.

According to European media, the ship was damaged Alboran Cognac 15 meters long.

Were on the ship two passengers who encountered orcas at 9am (local time) last Sunday.

Passengers reported feeling sudden impacts on the hull and rudder until eventually water began to flow into the sailboat.

Due to the above, they alerted the rescue services. A Oil ship they were rescued nearby.

Finally, the yacht was drifting and eventually sank.

Why do killer whales hit yachts?

According to journal research Marine Mammal Sciencerestored by the portal Living Science In 2023, reports emerged of aggressive encounters with killer whales off the coast of the Iberian Peninsula. They started in May 2020 and are becoming more frequent.

“The attacks appear to be primarily targeting sailboats and follow a clear pattern: killer whales approaching from the stern to hit the rudder and then lose interest once they successfully stop the ship,” the science portal shows.

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According to the scientists who conducted the study, young killer whales they could study Gladys’ behaviorwho in turn developed this behavior after “critical moment of agony”for example, being struck by a boat or being caught while fishing illegally.

“Orcas do this on purpose, we, of course, do not know either the origin or the motivation, but Trauma-based defensive behavior as the source of all this, is gaining more and more strength for us every day,” said researcher López Fernández. Living science.