“Killer whales hit the rudder, pushing the boat”: Swiss crew testimony – rts.ch

“The orcs are here!” Yves Tutour is on deck as he warns his son. Two killer whales attack their boat. Last June, father and son set sail for the Mediterranean from the French port of Lorient. Two Vaudois are on the Straits of Gibraltar. Their boat is pushed by orcas.

“First, it’s fascinating to see these animals so close. Then, it’s very worrying for the boat. The killer whales hit the rudder and pushed the boat. We feel helpless”, Jules Dutour, back home in Bonvillars. The attack lasts about 15 minutes, and then the killer whales leave just as they came: without reason, without explanation. The Vaudois boat could continue its journey without apparent damage.

A sunken Swiss ship

A month earlier, another Swiss yacht had less luck. A sailboat named “Champagne” is struck at midnight. On board are students from St Gallen High School. They complete the 1,000 nautical miles required for a sea license. For an hour and a half, three killer whales hunt their boat.

Damage caused by a killer whale to the yacht “Champagne”. [RTS]“There were two small killer whales and one big whale. They attacked the boat in the middle of the night. The two smaller ones were kicking the rudder while the bigger one was gaining momentum to attack the boat,” explains Christoph Winterhalter. The head of the Hochseezentrum coordinated the rescue operation from the school site in St. Gallen.

“The blows damaged the rudder shaft. We had to notify the emergency services because the boat was in danger of sinking”. A Coast Guard helicopter and boat will arrive in time to rescue the crew. There were no injuries, but the yacht “Champagne” sank in the port of Barbate, Spain.

A new event

In total, there have been nearly 500 interactions between boats and killer whales. The Spanish press reported the sinking of three yachts. Several small Moroccan fishing boats were also reported sunk.

The event is new. It was observed for the first time in the summer of 2020. It is also a geographically unique situation. Almost all of these contacts took place south of Spain, in the Strait of Gibraltar.

>> Read More: An increase in orca attacks against sailing vessels in the Strait of Gibraltar

In the region’s ports, there are several hypotheses to explain these attacks. Some speak of orc revenge. A woman named Gladys is said to have been hit by a ship, or trapped in one fish net. An event that triggers this aggressive behavior later spreads to other orcas. Rumor has it that he taught his children to attack boats in revenge.

“Orcas interact with humans and this affects their behavior”

Other sailors speculate that this may be a result of the coronavirus pandemic: after confinement and intermittent silence at sea, animals can defend themselves in this way, stressed by the surge of noise.

A form of drama?

For marine biologist Renaud de Stephanis, the theory is often quite different. This expert on Iberian orcas thinks it can be a dangerous sport for sailboats and small boats. The scientist leads a research team studying killer whales and finding solutions to these attacks.

His team hypothesizes that these interactions are the result of behavior acquired through imitation. Early transmission of play behavior in young children occurs when mothers hunt. A game that can be brutal at times.

A group of orcas approach the helm of the yacht JAJO during an ocean race in the Strait of Gibraltar in June 2023. [The Ocean Race/AP – Keystone]These attacks on boats are reminiscent of many videos filmed for animal documentaries, where we see killer whales stalking their prey like a cat playing with a mouse.

A matrilineal system

Off Gibraltar, 63 killer whales have been identified by marine biologists. These protected animals live and hunt in groups in a matriarchal system. These killer whales are in regular contact with fishing boats or whale watching boats.

There is a high density of boats, cargo ships and military boats. “We don’t know the exact reasons why this behavior appears. Killer whales interact with humans, which affects their behavior. In recent years, only a few killer whales have attacked boats. This behavior seems to have spread to all killer whales in the region,” Renaud de Stephanis explains.

For humans, there is no immediate danger of being eaten by an orca. Despite the nickname “killer whales,” they don’t kill humans, at least not in their natural environment. On the other hand, there are known cases of captive orcas turning against their trainers.

Great hunters

However, killer whales are impressive superpredators. They can hunt whales or great white sharks in groups.

A map showing the danger zones of orca attacks in the Strait of Gibraltar. [mitma.gob.es]Thanks to a system of locator beacons, scientists were able to map the movements of Iberian killer whales. In the Gibraltar area, 63 identified orcas have been in the same area for several months. They eat tuna.

Beacons indicate that part of a group of killer whales is heading up the Atlantic coast to Brittany. To aid navigators, scientists have published detailed maps of killer whale sightings. Traffic routes are recommended for navigation.

These charts and advice to sailors are available to sailors on the website of the Spanish Maritime Authorities. An protocol if interacting with killer whales Gives correct reflexes. Boats are advised not to stop in case of an orca attack. You should leave the area occupied by mammals as soon as possible.

François Ruchti/vkiss