Orcas Sink Another Yacht in Strait of Gibraltar

S/Y Alboran Cognac sank after being attacked by orcas on Sunday.

Alboran Cognac, a 15.75-meter sailing yacht, sank in the Strait of Gibraltar after being rammed by an unknown amount of orcas, Spain’s maritime rescue service said on Monday. The vessel was carrying two people at the time of the encounter, with the attack starting at 9 a.m. local time (0700 GMT) on Sunday, May 12.

The passengers reported feeling blows to the hull and rudders of the sailing yacht before water began to flood the vessel. After reporting the incident to rescue services, an oil tanker took them on board and transported them to Gibraltar. The yacht was abandoned and eventually sank.

Orcas attacking vessels in the Strait of Gibraltar has become an increasingly common occurrence in the area, with killer whales attacking a vessel that was being operated by Polish tour agency Morskie Mile in November — eventually sinking the vessel after a 45-minute attack. Boats competing in The Ocean Race were pushed, nudged, and bit at in June 2023 as well.

The aggressive behavior has confused many scientists and ocean researchers. Although some hypothesize it may be due to past encounters with boats or their attempt at playing, the real reason continues to be unknown.