A family of killer whales launched a sudden and aggressive attack on a yacht, leading to its rapid sinking.
Imagine being out in the open sea when, out of nowhere, a group of killer whales starts ramming your boat.
That has to be one of the most terrifying experiences a sailor could ever face.
Orcas are known for their intelligence, but they also have the power and strategy to be more dangerous than sharks—if they choose to be.
Interestingly, a shark expert recently explained that even great white sharks don’t actually want to eat humans.
If one does get too close, you’re supposedly safe as long as you gently push its nose away—assuming you’re wearing scuba gear, of course.
Unlike sharks, orcas have never been known to kill a human in the wild, though there have been four recorded fatalities involving captive killer whales.
Still, the idea of orcas intentionally targeting a boat and sinking it in under an hour is something straight out of a nightmare.
That’s exactly what happened in October 2023 when a pod of orcas—essentially a tight-knit family group—went after a Polish yacht traveling through the Strait of Gibraltar.
The attack was swift, intense, and ultimately devastating.
While orca attacks are rare in the wild, they can still happen
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The relentless assault lasted a full 45 minutes. Even with intervention from the Moroccan Navy, the yacht couldn’t be saved.
It sank just off the coast, near the entrance of the Tangier Med port in Morocco.
Thankfully, everyone on board survived without injuries.
Following the incident, Morskie Mile, the yacht’s operators, took to Facebook to share their account of what happened:
“Yesterday, in the Strait of Gibraltar, in the early afternoon, our yacht was attacked by a pod of killer whales. They hit the rudder blade for 45 minutes, causing major damage and a leak.”
“Despite attempts to bring the yacht to port made by the captain, the crew and rescuers from the SAR [search and rescue vessels], port tugboats and the Moroccan Navy, the unit sank near the entrance to the Tanger Med port. The crew is safe, safe and sound in Spain.”
One theory suggests the orcas were practicing their hunting
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“For us, this yacht was everything that was great about sea sailing. Long-term friendships were formed on board. We sailed this yacht through the most beautiful places in Europe and the Atlantic archipelagos, trained numerous yacht helmsmen, discovered beautiful and unknown places, tasted Mediterranean specialties and sailed, sailed, sailed.”
“We will take very good memories to Grazie Mamma II. Love for the sea always wins, and friendships will remain with us.”
“We are working to ensure that the upcoming cruises in the Canary Islands take place as planned on our friends’ yachts. We will contact all our guests in the coming days.”