Killer Whales Ram boats in Two Separate Incidents Off spanish Coast
Madrid, Spain – Maritime authorities have issued warnings to sailors after killer whales were involved in two recent incidents off the coast of Spain, including one requiring a rescue tow. The incidents, occurring within days of each other, have prompted renewed concern over a growing trend of orca interactions with vessels in the region.
the most recent event saw a boat needing to be towed back to dock by Maritime Rescue after being struck. Shortly after assisting the frist vessel, the rescue ship responded to a second distress call from a boat believed to have been targeted by the same pod of orcas and suffering a leak. A crew member involved in the rescues stated, “The truth is that we were very scared; we were actually really ‘scared’ when we realised that the killer whales were hitting the boat.”
These incidents are part of a documented pattern of orca behavior that began in May 2020. Researchers have recorded hundreds of instances of orcas ramming into boats near the Iberian Peninsula.While the motivation remains unclear, experts suggest the behavior may be a newly developing “cultural tradition” or even a “fad” within the orca population.
Alex Zerbini, chair of the scientific committee at the International Whaling Commission (IWC), explained in a recent report that some orca populations “may also develop unusual and temporary behavioural ‘fads’ and other idiosyncrasies that do not appear to serve any obvious adaptive purpose.”
British sailors were previously warned in July about similar orca behavior after their boat was also rammed off the Spanish coast. Authorities are now advising sailors to be vigilant and familiarize themselves with safety protocols should they encounter killer whales.The ongoing research aims to better understand this unusual behavior and mitigate potential risks to both vessels and the orcas themselves.
