Orcas attack boats off Portugal, prompting multiple rescues
- Orcas attacked two sailing boats off the Portuguese coast, prompting rescues of nine people.
- The incidents occurred near Fonte da Telha beach and the Bay of Cascais on Saturday afternoon.
- Authorities are concerned about the increasing number of encounters between orcas and humans in Iberian waters.
Recently, a concerning incident involving orcas attacking sailing vessels occurred off the coast of Portugal, a situation that has raised alarms among mariners in the region. On a Saturday afternoon, two separate boats were targeted by these marine mammals, commonly referred to as killer whales. Portuguese authorities reported that five individuals were rescued from a tourist vessel that was assaulted near Fonte da Telha beach, while another group of four was found safe following an attack off the Bay of Cascais. The rescue operations were swiftly conducted by search and rescue crews from Lisbon and the Cascais lifeguard station after receiving alerts around 12:30 PM local time. When the responders arrived at the Fonte da Telha site, they discovered that the five victims had already evacuated their boat and taken refuge on another tourist vessel that offered assistance. Simultaneously, the crew of the second boat was found safe, and responders provided necessary support to transport their craft to a port close to Lisbon. In light of these violent encounters, additional reports surfaced suggesting that the tourist vessel that had been targeted near Fonte da Telha may have sunk due to the attacks, as evidenced by video footage shared by a local sailing company. The recent spike in such confrontations highlights an escalating trend, with documented interactions between orcas and humans increasing over the last few years in the waters off Spain and Portugal, particularly around the Strait of Gibraltar, a key maritime route. The Portuguese National Maritime Authority has expressed concern regarding the implications of these attacks on safety at sea, as the frequency of orca encounters appears to be on the rise. The reports and videos circulating on social media have amplified the attention given to these incidents, prompting discussions on marine wildlife behavior and safety measures for boating in affected regions. The authorities continue to monitor the situation, stressing the importance of careful navigation in areas where orca activity has been reported.