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Sailing BANNED off Spain over fears crews could be KILLED by ‘torpedoing’ orcas attacking boats

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SAILING has been banned on a stretch of Spain’s northern coastline after killer whales badly battered boats in the area sparking fears for crew’s safety.

Spanish officials have banned sailing for boats under 15 metres in the areas of coastline near Prioriño Grande and La Punta de Estaca de Bares for one week following a spate of orca “attacks”.

Video filmed last week shows an orca menacingly circling a vessel
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Footage from one of the ‘attacks’ shows a huge creature swimming dangerously close to a boat

Experts are divided on whether the giant creatures are “playing” with or attacking the boats – but one sailor caught up in a 30-hour barrage where an orca battered his boat said anyone who experiences it would be scared.

Christian Bach, from Swizerland said: “They talk about interactions, about games.

“I would like to see some of those biologists on board my ship at dawn on Sunday. I think they would also be afraid.”

There are fears damaged boats could endanger crews, putting them in potentially life-threatening situations.

The areas affected are home to migrating tuna fish, who the massive creatures follow on their journey.

Government officials have admitted the measure could be applied to other areas where orcas live and hunt and have been involved in recent incidents, including the Straits of Gibraltar.

The Directorate General of the Merchant Marine (DGMM), part of Spain’s Ministry of Transport, has also announced a plane normally used in firefighting will be deployed to identify the killer whales thought to be responsible and alert seafarers in the area.

Several videos of the “attacks” show the huge black and white creatures buffeting boats and circling the vessels.

One video, filmed last week, shows how one crew were unable to escape one of the orcas as it relentlessly swam around their boat.

Orcas have been ramming sailing boats along the Spanish and Portuguese coasts Credit: Real Press
One crew member suffered bruising from the impact of the ramming Credit: Real Press

Scientists said there have been at least 40 orca incidents along the Atlantic coasts of Spain and Portugal since July.

Experts say they have never seen this kind of behavior before.

Several boats have been badly damaged and one yacht had to be towed back to port after one onslaught.

A spokesman for the DGMM described the sailing ban as “proportionate and objective.”

He added: “The measure is designed to prevent new episodes involving killer whales which have caused several incidents in Galicia’s coastal area in the past few weeks involving mainly sailing boats.

“The sailing boats affected by this decision can navigate perpendicular to the off-limits area to reach the coast or head out to sea.”

ORCAS - HOW DANGEROUS ARE THEY?

ORCAS - also known as killer whales - are the largest member of the oceanic dolphin family.

The creatures are dubbed “killer whales” as they hunt and eat other smaller species of dolphin.

Some also feed exclusively on fish, while others hunt marine mammals like seals and other dolphins.

They’re known as apex predators meaning they’re at the top of the food-chain and no other animals feed on them.

There are no recorded incidents of orcas attacking humans before the bizarre boat-bashings, but they have been known to feast on other land-dwelling mammals like moose who swim between islands..

The recent spate of attacks on boats in Spanish and Portuguese waters by killer whales, which have left at least one crewman injured, have baffled scientists.

In a recent incident Halcyon Yachts were taking a 36ft vessel to the UK from the Galician city of La Coruna when a killer whale rammed it at least 15 times.

The vessel lost steering and had to be towed back to port because of the attack.

A yacht named as Gautier was attacked on Tuesday and had to be towed back to the town of Muros south of La Coruna – outside of the off-limits area – after its rudder was damaged.

Marine lift experts say they believe two young killer whales in one of three groups of 13 animals located in Galician waters could be behind the attacks.

The theory they are reacting to a previous attack by a seafarer has not been ruled out and scientists have speculated they could be linked to a decrease in the number of boats at sea during the coronavirus lockdown which has increased curiosity among the young killer whales.

But most experts have concluded the animals see their attacks on the rudders they have targeted as a game and could be using them to hone their hunting instincts.

Around seven boats have had to be towed back to port since the incidents began because of damage caused to their rudders.

Bruno Diaz, a marine biologist based in Pontevedra in Galicia, told a local Spanish paper earlier this month: “It’s possible the incidents have taken place because young animals in a group are practicing their hunting techniques with the boats they encounter.

“Possibly it’s a game for them and they’re enjoying themselves at the expense of the vessels affected.”

Scientists are baffled by the phenomenon
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