In the last week, orcas have attacked four vessels of the northwest coast of Spain, damaging three and sinking the fourth. The three damaged boats all required assistance from the Spanish rescue services.
Two people on the sloop Idem were taken off their boat by the rescue crew after the boat’s rudder was struck by the orcas and Idem began to sink
The incident occurred on July 23 at 5 pm in the afternoon and only a mile of Estaca de Bares, the most northern cape on the Iberian Peninsula. As a rule, yachts have been advised to stay close to shore and on soundings to avoid orca attacks so Idem’s fate was an anomaly. Also, the highest incidents of orca attacks has been off the Strait of Gibraltar and not near the Bay of Biscay.
