Orcas Rip Rudder Off Yacht In Latest Spanish Coast Attack

This is the moment four huge orcas surround a yacht off the Spanish coast and rip apart its rudder as a group of animals linked to hundreds of similar encounters returns to the region.

The attack happened near Picamillo at the entrance to the Pontevedra estuary in Galicia, north-western Spain, at around 7pm on Saturday, 29 August.

Footage shows the orcas swimming directly beneath the 13-metre yacht Seika, with their distinctive black-and-white bodies clearly visible through the water.

Others can be seen surfacing nearby as the pod circles the vessel.

At one point, a large section of the damaged rudder breaks free and floats to the surface, prompting a shocked reaction from the person filming.

The encounter comes amid the return to the Galician coast of Iberian orcas associated with the so-called Gladises, a small group of animals known for repeated interactions with sailing boats around Spain and Portugal.

The distinctive behaviour began in 2020 and has repeatedly involved orcas targeting the rudders of sailing vessels, sometimes leaving boats unable to steer and in several cases contributing to vessels sinking.

Seika had earlier taken part in the Ignacio Montenegro Trophy regatta organised by the San Vicente Nautical Club in O Grove and was heading towards Baiona when it encountered the four orcas.

Five Ukrainian crew members, who live in Portugal, were aboard the yacht and could reportedly be heard repeatedly shouting: "Oh my God."

The animals badly damaged the rudder, tearing away pieces of polyester and substantially reducing the yacht's ability to steer.

Spain's Maritime Rescue service was alerted and a rescue vessel was prepared to assist, but Seika was ultimately able to make its own way back to shore.

None of the five people aboard was injured, although the damaged rudder reportedly needs to be completely replaced.

Another group of orcas damaged the rudder of a second yacht in the northern Vigo estuary less than 24 hours later.

That vessel, carrying two people, was also able to continue under its own power and eventually reached Baiona marina while being escorted by a Maritime Rescue vessel as a precaution.

(Mike Leidig/Newsflash)