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'They smashed the rudder': Sailor caught in orca encounter in the Strait of Gibraltar

Another sailing boat damaged as killer whale interactions off the coast of Cádiz continue to rise

A pod of killer whales has once again been spotted interacting with a sailing boat off the southern coast of Spain, in what has become a worrying trend for sailors in the area.

This latest incident took place over the weekend in the Strait of Gibraltar and was captured on video by Alessandro Tosetti, an Italian architect and keen sailor. He had just set out from the Spanish coast near Cádiz when things took a turn.

“I had prepared for the storm; I could never have imagined that a pod of killer whales would have attacked me in the Strait of Gibraltar,” he said.

Tosetti described how the orcas — thought to be a family group — repeatedly struck his boat, focusing on the rudder. “They were large animals, more than five metres long. I’ve been told it’s a family group. For about half an hour, they damaged the sailing boat Aspra, especially its rudder,” he recalled.

Despite following all the recommended guidelines, such as switching off the autopilot and sonar and furling the sails, the whales continued. “Nothing worked,” Tosetti said.

His boat was left drifting in the busy shipping lane, and he feared being dragged out to sea. A Maritime Rescue tug was eventually sent from Tarifa and escorted him to port. He managed to regain some control and steer the damaged yacht for twelve nautical miles, but by the time he arrived, the rudder blade had been completely shattered.

Experts believe these interactions have been happening more often since 2020. Theories range from the orcas mistaking boats for prey to them playing or even teaching younger members to hunt tuna, which have returned to the region in recent years. In May 2024, a sailing boat sank off the coast of Barbate after an encounter with a pod of orcas, which repeatedly struck the rudder and caused serious damage. The crew was safely rescued by a passing oil tanker.

Last July, a British sailboat also sank after being struck in a similar incident off the Spanish coast, highlighting just how serious these encounters can become.

Spain’s Ministry for Ecological Transition (Miteco) has been closely tracking these events, which usually happen between April and September. Though no one has been hurt so far, the material damage is often severe, especially to single-hulled boats under 15 metres with spade rudders.

Authorities have urged sailors to take extra care, particularly between Conil and Tarifa, where several incidents have occurred. In some cases, sailing has even been temporarily banned.

In a related development, a rescue operation was launched earlier this month to help an orca found tangled in fishing gear near Cabo Espartel. The animal was spotted among a group of at least eleven whales, all hunting tuna in the Strait. Sea conditions delayed the response, but the whale was eventually located, and efforts to free it are ongoing.

Orcas in the Strait and Gulf of Cádiz are listed as vulnerable in Spain’s national catalogue of endangered species. By law, it is forbidden to chase, feed or disturb them, and boats must keep at least 60 metres away.

Image: Ronile/Pexels

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