In the wake of another tumultuous incident involving a boat and an orca in the Strait of Gibraltar, Spanish authorities have presented some preventative suggestions for seafarers, advising small seafaring vessels to cling tightly to the coastal line to circumvent the often intimidating run-ins with the formidable killer whales this summer season.
In the heart of the recent occurrence, two hapless individuals on board a respectable 50-foot boat in the Moroccan territorial waters found themselves sending out distress signals to Spain’s maritime rescue team this past Sunday. Recounting an unnerving encounter, they reported an audacious orca that dared to knock into their vessel numerous times. The impacts led to considerable damage on the rudder and sprung an alarming leak. The untimely intervention by a conveniently passing oil tanker, alerted by the rescue team, omitted an ill-fated ending. They managed to rescue the castaways just before their accosted boat succumbed to the sea.
Hoping to fend off similar scenarios in the future, Spain’s combined efforts, channeled through their ministries for transport and environment and their merchant marines, sprang into action. Forewarnings were dispatched this Tuesday, cautioning small motorboats and yachts to be on high alert for orcas. These advisories particularly emphasized vigilance in the expanse lying betwixt the Strait of Gibraltar and the Gulf of Cadiz from the cusp of May through to the end of the summer—August.
The Atlantic Orca Working Group, a coalition of Spanish and Portuguese researchers passionate in their pursuit of studying marine life, have been particularly absorbed in unraveling the mysteries of the killer whales close to the Iberian Peninsula. Their meticulous records indicate an unsettling rise in such interactions, showcasing 197 peculiar incidences noted in 2021 and an even astonishing figure of 207 through 2022.
It seems even competitive events are not immune to the curious tendencies of the orcas. One notable instance was during a sailing race last year, a boat plowing through the waters from the Netherlands to Italy found itself with some unanticipated sailor guests. A pod of orcas aggressively pursued an encounter that lasted an unnerving 15 minutes, causing the distressed crew to react by dropping their craft’s sails and generating an alarming commotion, all in an attempt to deter their aquatic harassers.
Despite the disconcerting reports from boats, no incidents have been reported involving swimmers, indicating an intriguing pattern. Eerily, these problematic encounters with boats abruptly halt once the vessel comes to a standstill.
The researchers have unearthed a comprehensive pattern – these confrontational killer whales appear to be zeroing in on a vast arc, a sweep that covers the western coast of the Iberian Peninsula. This spans from the waters neighboring the Strait of Gibraltar right up to Spain’s northwestern territory—Galicia.
The size of the orcas in this area ranges from 16 to 21 feet, which while intimidating, are dwarfed in comparison to their Antarctic counterparts reaching an imposing magnitude of just under 30 feet.
