An incident occurred off Estaca de Bares: yesterday (23 July), a pod of orcas attacked the sailing boat ‘Idem’. The yacht was so badly damaged that it eventually sank. The “Idem” now lies on the seabed 1.3 nautical miles off the coast, as reported by the newspaper “La Voz de Galicia”. The two people on board were unharmed.
Following the attack, water began to pour into the sailing boat. It sank before the rescue services could tow it ashore. Fortunately, a motorboat was nearby; it picked up the two sailors and took them to the coast. The “Salvamar Shaula”, dispatched by the Fisterra Rescue Centre, then transported the shipwrecked sailors to Cariño. The newspaper also reports that a helicopter was called in to assist with the rescue operation at one point.
Five boats affected in two days
The sinking of the ‘Idem’ was the most serious incident in a whole series of orca attacks off the north-west coast of Spain. According to Salvamento Marítimo, the Spanish state organisation for maritime rescue and safety, two further incidents were recorded on the same day near Estaca de Bares. The coordinates of the incidents are at orcas.pt registered. The website serves as a central information platform for orca sightings and interactions off the Iberian coast and was founded by the Portuguese IT expert Rui Alves.
Amongst others, the sailing boat ‘Chicharro’ also came under attack from the orcas. The rudder was damaged, but the crew managed to reach the port of Viveiro under their own power. As early as 2.30 pm, the “Kador” had reported a collision with orcas, some 3.3 nautical miles off Estaca de Bares. Although the hull was rammed, there was no serious damage, meaning this sailing boat was also able to make its way to Viveiro.
On Wednesday (22 July), the ‘Glatisant’ had already been attacked by orcas north of the Ría de Viveiro. The boat’s rudder broke, whereupon the ‘Salvamar Alioth’ towed the immobilised yacht, with four people on board, to Viveiro.
The series began before Asturias
The series of orca attacks had already begun on Monday (21 July) off the Asturian coast. There, the sailing boats ‘Maranig’ and ‘Celia’ required assistance from the sea rescue service following encounters with the animals. This meant that, within the space of a few days, several attacks were concentrated on a relatively narrow stretch of coastline between Asturias and Cape Ortegal.
According to experts’ observations, the animals display a recurring pattern: they specifically target the oars and hulls of sailing boats. This behaviour has been documented for several years along the Iberian Atlantic coast. Sailing yachts are reportedly particularly affected. Motorboats, on the other hand, are usually spared.
Expert Rui Alves and the authorities warn of orcas
Rui Alves is in close contact with scientists from Portugal and Spain, the authorities, the Portuguese and Spanish navies, and sailors; he gathers all the latest information on the marine mammals. “We have received reports of a group of orcas that arrived near Galicia three to four weeks ago,” explains Rui Alves in an interview with YACHT. The group is said to be very active and dangerous. For this reason, the expert warns: “There is a very high risk of attacks in the area.” According to him, many sailors are now heading south, which is why the appearance of the orca pod has come as a surprise. If heading for Santiago de Compostela, Viveiro or A Coruña, the Portuguese expert advises against staying there and recommends sailing out of the area instead. No sailor should cross the 20-metre depth limit, as the expert explains.
Rui Alves has not yet been in contact with the crew of the ‘Idem’. He will speak to them over the next few days and analyse the incident to find out more about the animals’ behaviour and how the attack unfolded.
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The authorities continue to warn sailors against sailing through the affected areas. If orcas are sighted, skippers should switch off the engine and avoid any unnecessary movement. In many cases, the animals lose interest after a few minutes. However, the sinking of the ‘Idem’ shows that even cautious behaviour is not always enough to prevent serious damage.
Leonie Meyer
Editor News & Panorama