The first orca/sailboat interaction has been recorded off the northern Spanish coast of Galicia this year, resulting in a broken rudder for the vessel involved, but fortunately no other damage.

Published 7 months ago

Orca: Boat left Rudderless off NW Spanish Coast

Source:  Faroe de Vigo

The first orca/sailboat interaction has been recorded off the northern Spanish coast of Galicia this year, resulting in a broken rudder for the vessel involved, but fortunately no other damage.

Orca Ibérica GTOA said the interaction was “unexpected” and they are urging sailors to be cautious as it is likely the Orca will “possibly travel south in the coming days”.

In a statement on their Facebook page, Orca Ibérica GTOA  said they had not yet heard of any interaction between Orcas and boats on the Galician coast this year until this incident which happened on April 10 in front of Malpica de Bergantiños, northwest of the Sisarga Grande island at about 4:25 p.m.

GTOA reported that the sailboat ‘Leviathan’ was sailing with three crew members on board.  When they realized the presence of the animal, they raised the alarm and requested assistance from Maritime Rescue. The collision resulted in the yacht’s rudder breaking, so they had to be towed to the Malpica port.

“This interaction was unexpected since there are no recent records of the activity of these cetaceans,” said Orca Ibérica GTOA biologist Alfredo López. “The last documented interaction dates back to March 22 between the Portuguese towns of Nazaré and Figueira da Foz (much further south).  Since then, no other encounter was reported to the maritime authorities of both countries or to the GTOA, which studies the population of Iberian killer whales.”

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