A pod of orcas damaged the rudder of a 42-foot sailing yacht named Seika off the coast of Galicia, Spain, in an incident captured on video. The attack occurred around 7 p.m. on Saturday near Picamillo as the yacht was en route to the port of Baiona following the Ignacio Montenegro Trophy regatta.
Footage of the encounter shows the orcas swimming beneath the vessel and repeatedly striking it. A large section of the yacht's rudder broke off and floated to the surface. The five Ukrainian crew members on board could be heard expressing distress as the orcas circled and continued to interact with the boat. The animals damaged the rudder and tore away pieces of polyester, significantly impairing the yacht's steering capabilities.
Spain's Maritime Rescue service was alerted and a rescue vessel was prepared, but the Seika was able to return to shore under its own power. No injuries were reported among the crew, though the yacht sustained damage requiring repairs.
This incident is the latest in a series of encounters between orcas and sailing boats along the coasts of Spain and Portugal, primarily involving Iberian orcas linked to a group known as the Gladises. This unusual behavior was first noted in 2020 and frequently targets the rudders of vessels.
Since 2020, at least nine boats have reportedly sunk and approximately 250 others have been damaged due to these interactions. More than 700 such encounters have been recorded over the past five years. In July, another yacht sank off the Spanish coast after its rudder was destroyed during an orca encounter, with its two crew members rescued by a passing motorboat.
Earlier this year, orcas sank a yacht off Spain's northwest coast after ramming three other vessels in the same region. The two individuals aboard the yacht Idem required rescue after their rudder was destroyed and the boat began to take on water. In that instance, the damage did not prevent some vessels from reaching shore, though one yacht was crippled.
