--- title: "Orcas Strike Again, Sinking Yacht as Oil Tanker Called for Rescue" description: "The Iberian orcas are back at it again, this time straight-up sinking a yacht near the Strait of Gibraltar." date: "2024-05-15" modified: "2024-05-15" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/orcas-strike-sink-yacht" categories: - "Science & Energy" tags: - "animals" - "orcas" - "shipping" - "the digest" --- # Orcas Strike Again, Sinking Yacht as Oil Tanker Called for Rescue ![The Iberian orcas are back at it again, this time straight-up sinking a yacht near the Strait of Gibraltar.]() *\Image: Getty / Futurism\* ## Boat GOAT The orcas are back at it again, this time straight-up sinking a yacht near the Strait of Gibraltar. As the [*New York Times* reports](), two people had to be rescued after a group of orcas attacked the Alboran Cognac, a 50-foot-long sailing yacht, about 14 miles off the coast of Morocco. According to those on board, the animals replayed their greatest hits by going for the yacht's rudder, slamming its hull, and ultimately causing the vessel to spring a leak. During the attack, the two-person crew radioed a nearby oil tanker for help, and it maneuvered over to where they were, evacuated them, and took them to Gibraltar. The Alboran Cognac, according to Moroccan maritime authorities, was left adrift and eventually sank. While it's unclear if the orcas in question are part of the same pod that's been plaguing sailors around the Iberian peninsula in recent years, their behavior suggests that it either was the OG culprits of the attacks that garnered so many headlines last year or that the clever predators have been [teaching other groups their ways](). ## Orcapalypse Now As the Grupo de Trabajo Orca Atlántica (GTOA) [told the *Washington Post*](), there have been an average of 168 orca-ship interactions per year since 2020, when this sort of behavior began ramping up in the region. Thus far in 2024, the researchers have tracked 26 interactions, which [according to its website]() could be anything from approaching or observing a ship to coming up and touching it. That number, GTOA said, is down from 61 from the same time frame in 2023. As the *NYT* noted in its reporting, however, the Alboran Cognac is the first boat to sink due to an orca attack this year. Last summer in particular, the attacks seemed to be [occurring on a near-daily basis](), with some sailors reporting that their ships had been targeted twice or even thrice by furious orca pods in the same day. There have been various theories as to why the animals, which are sometimes referred to as "killer whales" despite [concerns from conservationists]() over the term's stigma, have begun attacking vessels so often the past few years. Some experts suggest that orcas, which are highly intelligent and [share a lot of psychological traits with humans](), are [rocking and socking boats for fun](). Others believe that the main attacking pod's leader, known as White Gladis, may have been [acting out of revenge]() due to previous boat-related trauma she'd experienced. Whatever the case may be, it seems that late spring and early summer 2024 may see the sequel to [last year's orca-mania]() — and we, for one, will be watching with eyes peeled. **More on animal attacks:** [*Furious Monkeys Tear Down Anti-Monkey Posters*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()