An unknown number of orcas sank a sailboat after colliding with it in Moroccan waters in the Strait of Gibraltar, Spain’s maritime rescue service said Monday, another attack in what has become a trend over the past four years.
The Alboran Cognac vessel, which was 15 meters (49 feet) long and carrying two people, encountered the large, highly social predators, also known as killer whales, at 9 a.m. local time (0700 GMT) on Sunday, the service said .
Passengers reported feeling sudden thumps on the hull and rudder before water began to seep into the ship. After alerting emergency services, a nearby tanker took them on board and transported them to Gibraltar.
The yacht was left adrift and eventually sank.
The incident is the latest example of recurring orca crushes around the Strait of Gibraltar that separates Europe from Africa and off the Atlantic coast of Portugal and northwest Spain.
Experts estimate that this is a subpopulation of around 15 individuals called “Gladis”.
According to the GTOA research group, which tracks populations of the Iberian subspecies of orcas, there have been nearly 700 interactions since orca attacks on ships in the region were first reported in May. 2020.
Researchers are unsure of the causes of this behavior, with main theories referring to it as a playful display of mammalian curiosity, a social fad, or the intentional targeting of what they perceive as competitors of their preferred prey. local bluefin tuna.
Although known as killer whales, endangered orcas are members of the dolphin family. They can measure up to eight meters and weigh up to six tonnes as adults.
News Source : www.nbcnews.com
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