A group of Iberian orcas has developed a puzzling new behaviour: chasing sailboats and breaking their rudders. Since 2020, these interactions have increased, with 207 reported in 2022, up from 197 in 2021 and 52 in 2020. Scientists describe the encounters as 'interactions' rather than attacks, suggesting the orcas may be playing rather than acting aggressively.
Andrea Fantini, a sailor in the Globe40 race, recalled an incident near Tangier in 2022. 'We saw the first orca coming, then the second, then the third, and then we were surrounded by orcas. There were seven orcas all around us, and they started to attack the rudder. It was super weird, and a bit scary,' he said.
Research by Renaud de Stephanis, an orca specialist, indicates the orcas push rudders with their noses until they break, rather than biting them. 'They're pushing, pushing, pushing – boom! It's a game. Imagine a kid of 6, 7 years, with a weight of three tonnes. That's it, nothing less, nothing more,' he explained. He noted that if the orcas wanted to wreck a boat, they could do so in ten minutes.
Only about 35 Iberian orcas have been identified, with a total population under 50. Of these, 15 are known to be involved in the boat encounters, always the same group, according to Alfredo López Fernández of the Atlantic Orca Working Group. The interactions follow the orcas' migratory routes, originally around the Strait of Gibraltar but now extending to the coasts of Morocco and France.
Three yachts were sunk in 2022 and 2023 after orca interactions, according to the Cruising Association. Breaking the rudder can open a hole, allowing water to rush in and sink the boat. Even experienced sailors find the encounters frightening, as Jelmer van Beek, skipper of the Dutch sailing team JAJO, described in a video: 'Three orcas came at us, straight at us, and they started hitting the rudder. Impressive to see the orcas, first of all, beautiful animals, but also a dangerous moment.'
