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Date Published: 28/07/2022

ARCHIVED - Several more killer whale attacks reported by Spanish fishing boats

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The latest incident with a group of orcas left a vessel floating off the coast of Galicia

<span style='color:#780948'>ARCHIVED</span> - Several more killer whale attacks reported by Spanish fishing boats

Attacks by killer whales, or orcas, are surprisingly common in Spain and although no people have ever been injured, these encounters are one of the biggest fears for fishermen, as the enormous mammals can cause serious damage to the expensive vessels that are their livelihood.

Two more serious incidents occurred on Monday July 25 off the coast of Galicia that required the emergency services to rescue the stranded fishing boats.

At around 9pm, Salvamento Marítimo marine rescue services received a distress call from sailors that had been targeted by a pod of orcas and were floating aimlessly at sea, unable to direct the ship; the three fishermen aboard the ‘Ormelune’ were shaken up but otherwise unhurt, and were safely towed back to the Muros dock.

Velero Ormelune (3 tripulantes) remolcado esta noche por la S/Regulus a Muros tras interacción con orcas 6 mn W Corrubedo. Otro velero, el Moana, también sufrió interacción con orcas que dañaron los 2 timones, pero no necesitó asistencia ya que podía maniobrar con sus 2 motores. pic.twitter.com/FFzcgpjZ6Q
— SALVAMENTO MARÍTIMO (@salvamentogob) July 26, 2022

Around the same time and in the same area, the ‘Moana’ fishing boat also alerted the rescue crew to the fact that several killer whales had collided with their vessel and broken both of the rudders. Luckily, the seamen were still able to steer their boat thanks to its engines.

In the last few days, there have been reports of three other serious encounters between fishing boats and pods of orcas and the cases are being thoroughly investigated by the Coordinator for the Study of Marine Mammals (Cemma). At the moment it’s believed that the incidents have all been caused by the same pod.

Attacks on vessels in Spanish waters have risen exponentially in recent years, particularly in the Strait of Gibraltar and Galicia. Several studies are underway to determine the cause, with one hypothesis being that the incidents are caused by groups of young whales who are curious about, rather than deliberately aggressive towards, the passing boats.

You might also like: Spanish sailors reveal what you should do if you meet a killer whale on the water

Image: Flickr

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