In an interview with the BBC, a Scottish yacht owner Graeme Walker, whose vessel was attacked for 45 minutes early on September 22, described his encounter with three orcas: "The boat would literally spin through 90 degrees when the animals came in. Here 10 large adult male sperm whales present a united front against an orca attack; the lead whale raises its head to check out the position of the assailants. You would have broken your arms.". A Japanese whaling crew has fallen victim to a dramatic full on assault by a school of killer whales, killing no less than 16 crew members and injuring 12, has reported the Japanese Government this morning. Killer Whale Attacks on Boats Scientists are stunned at the recent attacks by pods of orcas on boats off the coast of Spain and Portugal, in the Gibraltar Strait. “I was not really sure what was happening, then one of the animals broke the surface, on the left-hand side of the boat, for breath. They noticed two of the killer whales were seriously injured—which may have prompted their behavior. 118,223, This story has been shared 67,851 times. "All the encounters with the killer whales took place between 2 and 8 nautical miles from the coast and the sailing speed ranged between 5 and 9 knots, either exclusively under sail or sail and motor.". There have been at least 33 of the bizarre attacks in northern Spain, in the Strait of Gibraltar and off Portugal since July, in which the orcas surround small craft and deliberately ram the ships’ rudders, and attempt to tip them over. In captivity, there have been several non-fatal and fatal attacks on humans since the 1970s. See why nearly a quarter of a million subscribers begin their day with the Starting 5. 67,851, This story has been shared 63,037 times. Killer Whales Attack on Shore Off the coast of Argentina, seasoned killer whales hunt sea lion pups. AN experienced orca trainer at SeaWorld suffered a broken jaw, dislocated joints and had her scalp pulled off when she was killed during a horrific attack by a killer whale 10 years ago today. We've received your submission. There are documented accounts of killer whales targeting sharks that date back decades. That same day, Spain's Ministry of Transport, Mobility and Urban Agenda announced sailing vessels that were 49 feet or less were banned from sailing between Cabo Prioriño Grande and Punta de Estaca de Bares, where the killer whale attacks had taken place. Speaking to Spanish daily newspaper El Pais, researchers say it is unclear whether the killer whales, also known as orcas, were injured before or during their encounters with the boats, but that the killer whales may have felt threatened. This was as a preventative measure to protect people on board and the killer whales. Killer whales (or orcas) are powerful predators capable of killing leopard seals and great white sharks. Tillikum and the Florida trainer. However, it is suggested that the orca att… "Interactions with killer whales have affected, above all, medium-sized sailboats, with a length equal to or less than 15 meters (49 feet)," a statement from the ministry said. Thanks for contacting us. This issue has aroused endless attention from people all over the globe and many journalists have put the ‘attacks’ down to the killer whales fighting back against overfishing. A humpback whale was seen interfering with this orca's attack on a crabeater seal in Antarctica, one of hundreds of incidents where humpbacks seem to protect other animals from orcas. https://www.newsweek.com/killer-whale-attack-boats-scientists-spain-1535219 Your Ad Choices Meanwhile, a nearly 12-foot great white takes cover underwater, near the tour boat’s bow. He said only 20 percent of orca sightings from yachts had reported damage or trouble. The crew of the MV Nisshin Maru (日新丸), Japan’s primary whaling vessel and the world’s only whaler factory ship, was forced to leave the deck temporarily as a gas leak was detected within the … But the rising frequency of the attacks is a new development. “For the moment, we have no clear evidence of when it happened, nor can we say for sure what kind of boat may have been involved, nor whether the incident was accidental or deliberate.”, The researchers added that as a result of possible injury by boat, the orcas “may have felt compelled to act when they saw a sailboat in order to slow it down by going after its rudder” — and adding “the killer whales could simply be toying with sailboats ‘out of curiosity’ now that they had discovered the ability to slow or stop a large moving object.”. You have 4 free articles remaining this month, Sign-up to our daily newsletter for more articles like this + access to 5 extra articles. Terms of Use News reports of orcas attacking boats off the coast of Spain emerged at the start of September, with encounters having started as early as July. Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Stock image showing a pod of killer whales. They have been known to attack baleen whale calves, and even adult whales. Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. According to The Guardian, killer whales—the largest member of the dolphin family—have been ramming into boats off the Spanish coast in what some observers believe are deliberate attacks. But the situation isn’t as black-and-white as the mainstream media would have some people believe. "It might sound as if all the boats are being damaged, but that is not the case," he said. On 30 August, a French-flagged vessel radioed the coastguard to say it was “under attack” from killer whales. "I have sailed in Australia, Tahiti, Canada... all over the world, and I had seen orcas, but none had ever gotten this close," he told the newspaper. 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