Killer whales seriously damaged a boat off the southern coast of Spain, the local maritime rescue service reported, adding to dozens of killer whale attacks on ships recorded this year along the Spanish and Portuguese coasts, Reuters and news.ro

On Thursday, a group of killer whales tore off the rudder and punctured the hull of the Mustique after colliding with it en route to Gibraltar, prompting the crew to appeal to Spanish authorities for help, a spokesman for the Maritime Rescue Service said.

The service sent an emergency response vessel and a pumper helicopter to assist the 20-metre British-flagged vessel, he added. The ship Mustique was towed to the port of Barbate in the province of Cádiz for repairs.

The incident follows at least 20 interactions between small vessels and top predators in the Strait of Gibraltar this month alone, according to GTOA, a research group that monitors the population of the Pyrenean orca subspecies. According to GTOA, 207 interactions were recorded in 2022.

Earlier in May, the yacht Alboran Champagne suffered a similar strike with three killer whales half a nautical mile off Barbate. The ship could not be towed because it was completely flooded and remained sinking.

Instructions issued by Spain’s Ministry of Transport state that when vessels notice changes in orca behavior, such as sudden changes in direction or speed, they must leave the area as soon as possible and not disturb the animals during maneuvers.

Any interaction between a ship and a killer whale must be reported to the authorities, the ministry added.

Although they are known as killer whales, the endangered killer whales belong to the dolphin family. In adulthood, they can reach eight meters and weigh up to six tons.