The Mysterious Rise of Killer Whale Attacks on Boats in Spain

Killer whales have caused severe damage to a sailing boat off the coast of southern Spain, adding to dozens of orca attacks on vessels recorded so far this year on Spanish and Portuguese coasts. The incident follows at least 20 interactions this month alone in the Strait of Gibraltar between small vessels and the highly social apex predators. Guidelines issued by the Spanish Transport Ministry stipulate that whenever ships observe any alteration in the behaviour of orcas, they should leave the area as soon as possible and avoid further disturbance to the animals during the manoeuvres.