A group of killer whales attacked and sank a $128,000 yacht in the Mediterranean Sea, leaving the crew in shock. New York PostRobert Powell, 59, and his team were just 22 hours into their 10-day voyage from Vilamoura, Portugal, to Greece on Wednesday when they spotted the killer whale heading towards them.
The orcas, usually known for their intelligence and curiosity, began to display aggressive behaviour, and rammed the boat with incredible force. The five orcas surrounded the 39-foot-long sailing boat and, in a coordinated attack, ripped it to pieces in turns around 8 pm.
”In my opinion they weren’t playing at all, they knew exactly what they were doing. They knew the weaknesses of the boat and they knew how to sink it. Their only intention was to sink the boat and that was it,” said Mr. Powell, who was about to celebrate his birthday on the boat.
The group of five first targeted the hull, rendering the boat unable to steer after about 15 strikes. The orcas then split up and systematically attacked the boat’s exterior, with one hitting the keel, another the stern and the rest targeting other vulnerable areas.
”They were circling. It was like watching wolves hunting. They were coming in turns – sometimes two would come in at once and attack him. So obviously it was very scary,” Mr Powell said.
The crew, terrified by the ferocity of the attack, tried to steer the ship away from the whales, but their efforts were in vain. The orcas seemed intent on sinking the boat, displaying an unusual level of aggression.
Luckily, a Spanish rescue vessel intervened and pulled the crew out safely just before the boat plunged 130 feet into the Mediterranean Sea and disappeared beneath the waves.
Killer whales are known for their complex social structures and do not typically display unprovoked aggression toward human vessels. Although there have been reports of orca interactions with boats, such extreme behavior is rare. Some experts speculate that the attack may be due to environmental stressors, changes to their habitat, or previous negative encounters with boats.