British sailing ship sank after being attacked by killer whales in Gibraltar

Killer whales attack British sailboat in the Strait of Gibraltar

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A pod of wild killer whales attacked the British sailing vessel Bonhomme William in the Strait of Gibraltar, which the Spanish Marine Rescue Service reported sank after the attack. The situation developed quickly: after the collision with the marine mammals, the ship's crew requested a tow, and soon reported that their vessel was sinking, The Olive Press reported.

The Spanish Marine Rescue Service responded quickly to the request and sent the rescue vessel Enif to the scene. Three crew members were successfully evacuated and brought to the Spanish coast, where they received the necessary assistance.

However, this is not the only time that killer whales have caused a shipwreck in the area. On October 31, 2023, another attack occurred, which was larger and longer lasting. The Warsaw-based yacht Morskie Mile was attacked by a pod of killer whales for 45 minutes. As a result of this attack, the yacht was seriously damaged and sank off the coast of Tangier Med, located about 30 miles northeast of Tangier. Despite the efforts of the search and rescue team and the Moroccan Navy, it was not possible to save the vessel, but fortunately, none of the crew or passengers were injured.

Killer whales are not usually aggressive towards ships, but in recent years there has been an increase in the number of attacks on small yachts and sailboats. Scientists suggest that this may be due to changes in the region's ecosystem, as well as the increase in the number of tourist ships, which can irritate the whales and provoke them to aggressive actions. Rescue services and scientists continue to study the behavior of killer whales to better understand the causes of their attacks and develop strategies to prevent similar incidents in the future.