Orcas Attack Yacht Grazie Mamma II Off Southwestern Coast Of Europe For Nearly An Hour

A pod of orcas off the southwest coast of Europe has once again targeted a boat, which is an alarming occurrence.

In this instance, their unrelenting assault targeted the yacht Grazie Mamma II, which belonged to Polish operators Morskie Mile.

For about forty-five minutes, the orcas hit the yacht’s rudder nonstop, breaking it severely and letting a leak appear.

The yacht finally sank close to the Moroccan port of Tanger Med despite the Moroccan Navy’s best efforts to save it. However, the crew was able to flee without any difficulty.

In the past two years, there have been four such incidents involving orcas. The tendency of orcas to attack and ram boats worries sailors along the Iberian Peninsula’s western coast. Scholars have been trying to understand this problematic situation.

Despite their usual friendliness toward humans, orcas in the Strait of Gibraltar have been acting strangely since 2020. Several theories have been put forth to explain these connections.

Scientists have been discussing whether the young orcas do this as a playful incident or something else. Following these incidents, sailors discuss ways to stop orcas from attacking their boats.

Several environmentalists and marine rescue organisations have developed a plan to safeguard both the safety of seafarers and the declining orca population.

Through the monitoring of routes closer to land and the recording of reported interactions and sightings in the area, digital platforms help sailors avoid encounters with orcas.

Sailors employ various tactics, such as throwing sand into the water or setting off firecrackers to scare the orcas away, to protect their vessels from these unusual orca encounters.

References- Live Science, The New York Times

Orcas Attack Yacht Grazie Mamma II Off Southwestern Coast Of Europe For Nearly An Hour appeared first on Marine Insight – The Maritime Industry Guide

Source: Maritime Shipping News