Several killer whales attacked a yacht called Alborán Cognac in the Strait of Gibraltar, sinking the ship in Moroccan territorial waters.
The Spanish maritime services indicated that the people who were on board the sunken ship on Sunday were rescued by an oil tanker that was passing by, according to reports News from heaven.
It is seen as a new attack in what has become a trend over the past four years, as angry killer whales have damaged and sunk many small boats in that period.
Experts have been wondering what drives orcas to behave this way; However, they do believe that mammals are very intelligent and may display “copycat” or “playful” behavior.
According to Spanish authorities, the occupants of the boat reported feeling sudden blows to the hull and rudder, causing breakages, which filled the boat with water.
The couple were taken to Gibraltar for safety.
According to the GTOA research group, around 700 interactions between orcas and boats have been recorded since May 2020.
Experts cited in the report say the incidents have been limited to the strait.
Last year, a yacht was severely damaged by orcas and had to be towed to Cádiz.
The Spanish Ministry of Transport later issued a guideline that whenever ships observe any alteration in the behavior of the orcas they should move away from the area and refrain from disturbing them during maneuvers.
