The five orcas circled the boat and, in a coordinated assault, took turns ramming it to pieces
A $128,000 yacht was attacked and sunk by a group of killer whales in the Mediterranean Sea, leaving the crew in shock. According to New York Post, Robert Powell, 59, and his crew were just 22 hours into their 10-day trip from Vilamoura, Portugal, to Greece on Wednesday when they saw killer whales approaching them.
The orcas, typically known for their intelligence and curiosity, began to exhibit aggressive behaviour, ramming the yacht with incredible force. The five orcas circled the 39-foot sailing boat and, in a coordinated assault, took turns ramming it to pieces around 8 p.m.
”To me, they were not playing at all, they knew exactly what they were doing. They knew the weak points of the boat, and they knew how to sink it. Their sole intention was to sink the boat, and that was it,” Mr Powell, who was meant to be celebrating his birthday aboard the boat, said.
The pod of five first targeted the rudder, rendering the sailboat unable to steer after approximately 15 strikes. The orcas then broke apart and systematically attacked distinct parts of the boat’s exterior, with one concentrating on the keel, another on the stern, and the others targeting other vulnerable areas.
”They were circling. It was like watching wolves hunt. They were taking it in turns to come in — sometimes two would come in at the same time and hit it. So obviously pretty terrifying,” Mr Powell added.
The crew, caught off guard by the ferocity of the assault, attempted to steer the vessel away from the whales, but their efforts were in vain. The orcas seemed determined to sink the yacht, displaying an unusual level of aggression.
Fortunately, a Spanish salvage vessel intervened, evacuating the crew just moments before the sailboat plunged 130 feet into the Mediterranean, disappearing beneath the waves.
Killer whales are known for their complex social structures and typically do not exhibit unprovoked aggression towards human vessels. While there have been reports of orcas interacting with boats, such extreme behaviour is rare. Some experts speculate that the attack could have been triggered by environmental stressors, changes in their habitat, or even previous negative encounters with boats.