Orcas sink boat with two passengers on board in Strait of Gibraltar

Julia Gomez, USA TODAY
Updated ·2 min read

Orcas attacked and sank a boat in the Strait of Gibraltar, prompting Spanish officials to issue a warning to sailors in case they ever encounter one of the giant sea mammals.

On Sunday, orcas sank a 10-meter-long boat with two passengers on board. The passengers, who were able to notify authorities in time, were rescued after receiving help from a nearby oil tanker and Moroccan authorities, states Salvamento Marítimo, Spain’s maritime rescue service, in a press release.

The boat sank near Cape Spartel, a promontory in Morocco near the entrance of the Strait of Gibraltar, a channel that connects the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean between Spain and Africa.

The country's Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility prepared a list of things to do in case boats or yachts meet a pack of killer whales at the wrong place and at the wrong time.

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How to handle an orca encounter

According to the agency, people who encounter orcas while on a vessel should do the following:

  • Don't go near the side of the boat. Move to a space in the middle of the vessel where they're protected from sudden movements.

  • If the whales try interacting with the boat, don't stop the boat or turn off the motor. Move towards the coast or shallower waters.

  • Report the event to officials, even if the boat doesn't take damage.

Why are whales attacking marine vessels?

For the past four years, hundreds of incidents have occurred between orcas and boats or yachts.

And interactions still remain a mystery, Alfredo López, a University of Santiago biologist, previously told USA TODAY.

However, the whales' reasoning for the attacks could be as innocent as playful curiosity or as nefarious as targeting the vessels they perceive as competition for food.

Graphics: Why are orcas attacking boats and sometimes sinking them?

Contributing: Ramon Padilla, USA TODAY

Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. She has covered various topics, from local businesses and government in her hometown, Miami, to tech and pop culture. You can follow her on X, formerly Twitter, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Orcas sink boat in Strait of Gibraltar; two passengers rescued