--- title: "Orcas Strike Again, Sinking Another Yacht" description: "An orca pod has once again attacked and sank a boat off the Strait of Gibraltar, adding to the growing list of similar incidents." date: "2023-11-07" modified: "2023-11-07" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/orcas-strike-yacht-again" categories: - "Science & Energy" tags: - "killer whales" - "marine life" - "orcas" - "the digest" --- # Orcas Strike Again, Sinking Another Yacht ![An orca pod has once again attacked and sank a boat off the Strait of Gibraltar, adding to the growing list of similar incidents.]() *\Image: Getty / Futurism\* ## Pod Mentality An orca pod has once again attacked and sank a sailing yacht off the [Strait of Gibraltar](), adding to a growing list of similar incidents. In a [Facebook post](), the Polish Morskie Mile boat tourism company said that the killer whales attacked the steering fin of its vessel, the "Grazie Mamma II," for a grueling 45 minutes. According to the post, there were attempts to save the boat made by its crew, captain, local authorities, and even the Moroccan Navy — but despite their efforts, the ship sank near a port entrance. Luckily, the crew made it out of the ordeal safely. Beyond Morskie Mile's post, we don't have much more information about this latest orca fiasco, including how many orcas were in the "herd" that the company said attacked its yacht. As previous reports have indicated, however, this kind of aggressive orca behavior is out of the ordinary, and [nobody really knows why]() the animals have begun acting this way. ## Media Matters Earlier this year, [*USA* *Today* reported]() that the Atlantic Orca Working Group has documented a whopping 298 percent increase in orca attacks between 2020 and 2023, with the number of incidents over the past three years surpassing 500. Despite that jarring figure, however, scientists have pointed out that while the sinking behavior is indeed on the rise, it's far less common than mere "bumps." And the headline-grabbing nature of these incidents is almost certainly [making the issue seem more prevalent]() than it actually is. "In more than 500 interaction events recorded since 2020, there are three sunken ships," Portuguese biologist Alfredo López Fernandez, who works with the Atlantic Orca Working Group, [told *LiveScience* back in May](). "We estimate that killer whales only touch one ship out of every hundred that sail through a location." ## Whale Tale Alongside the complicated figures is another perverse trend: [online observers]() who ascribe to the orcas [human motives]() like revenge — though to be fair, there is some expert speculation that some of these attacks may be [rooted in orca trauma](). Concerned scientists have, in response, begun calling for caution when describing these incidents to head off sailors who may begin attacking the animals in retaliation. "We urge the media and public to avoid projecting narratives onto these animals," [the open letter](), which was signed by more than 30 scientists over the summer, read. "In the absence of further evidence, people should not assume they understand the animals' motivations." Despite concerns about boater violence against the orcas, however, some interviews have suggested that the sailors know their place in the seas. "Bottom line," delivery vessel captain Dan Kriz, whose ships have twice been attacked by orcas this year, [told *Newsweek* in June,]() "is we are in their territory." **More on orcas:** [*Orcas May Be Teaching Each Other How to Brutalize Blue Whales*]() ## 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]()