Since 2020, orcas have been causing harm to sailboats off the coast of the Iberian Peninsula. This file photo shows a killer whale navigating through the Strait of Gibraltar, which separates the Iberian Peninsula from North Africa. (Photo: Emmanuel Gaifami via Getty Images)
Orcs continue to attack ships along the Spanish coast, leaving their rudders damaged and their crews abandoned.
A small group of killer whales (Orcinus orca) have developed a penchant for damaging ships off the southwest coast of Europe in recent years. Scientists are continuing to investigate the activity, suggesting that the animals are more likely to be playful than hostile.
On August 21, the orcs tore off the rudder of a German yacht at the mouth of the Vigo River in Galicia, Faro de Vigo reported. The whales then continued to interact with the vessel and then collided with it while it was being towed to safety.
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Killer whale attack on the coast and various veleros produced in daño in la pala del timón in one. The #GC patrol, which gave protection, began to board the Marine Rescue, and began to move away from Puerto. pic.twitter.com/u9KAyXbUF2 August 21, 2025
Pontevedra's law enforcement agency, the Civil Guard, posted a video of the yacht rescue operation on the social network X, noting that the orcs had attacked several sailboats. The exact number of damaged vessels was unknown before publication, but incidents continued later.
For example, on August 30, Faro de Vigo reported damage to the rudder of a wooden vessel near O Grove at the mouth of the Arosa River, and a hole in another sailboat off the coast of Onsa in the Bay of Pontevedra.
The owner of the vessel attacked off O Grove, Valentin Otero, told the newspaper that he heard two blows on the hull before spotting a pair of orcas. The crew said there was a larger specimen about 7 metres (23 feet) long nearby.
“We felt a lot of fear; we actually panicked when we realized the whales were hitting the boat,” Otero said in a translated interview.
Iberian orcas are a critically endangered subgroup with fewer than 40 individuals. Since 2020, they have been attacking ships off the coast of Spain and Portugal. While initial theories suggested retaliation by killer whales, many experts have dismissed this idea.
Juveniles often focus on the rudders of sailboats. Scientists believe this may be due to the excess free time that adolescent killer whales have since the recovery of Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus), their main food source, reduced the time needed to hunt.
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The habits of killer whales are complex and varied. Researchers note that the species engages in social rituals, from gently nibbling tongues to synchronous movements in the water. Different groups use unique sound signals reminiscent of dialects and form special “trends,” such as wearing a dead salmon on the head.
There is no evidence that Iberian orcas deliberately attack humans. Despite their status as powerful predators that hunt tuna, seals, sharks and whales, their diet does not include humans. Only a few cases of attacks in the wild have been recorded, often attributed to mistaken identity, such as mistaking a human for a seal.
Patrick Pester, Social Links Navigator, Popular News Writer
Patrick Pester is a well-known journalist who writes for Live Science. His work has appeared in BBC Science Focus and Scientific American. Pester switched to journalism after working for zoos and conservation groups. He was awarded a Master's Excellence Scholarship at Cardiff University, where he completed an MA in International Journalism. He also holds an MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation from Middlesex University. In his spare time, he researches the human remains trade.
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