Rabat – A British couple had a terrifying experience off the coast of Morocco when their boat was attacked by a group of at least six orcas, also known as “killer whales.” The attack persisted for a nerve-wracking hour.
The orcas –one of the world’s largest dolphins and one of the most powerful marine predators– began chasing the 20-meter boat in the Strait of Gibraltar, 11km from Tangier in the Strait of Gibraltar.
According to British newspaper The Daily Mail, the British couple, Janet Morris and Stephen Bidwell, who are experienced sailors, were on a sailing course when the orcas targeted their boat.
While taking a nap, they suddenly felt the boat being hit and heard the crew shouting about the orcas. They quickly went to the deck to assess the situation.
Reflecting on the experience, Morris disclosed to the Daily Mail, “Because everyone was calm, it felt okay, but we were petrified, it wasn’t until afterwards that we talked about being very scared.”
Bidwell echoed his partner’s sentiments, emphasizing the collective effort to remain calm in the face of adversity.
“We all remained calm because we were aware that if any of us got anxious, it would be infectious,” he noted.
Additionally, Bidwell shed light on the complex nature of orcas, stating, ‘”Orcas enjoy the thrill of the chase, so ideally we’d have kept still, but that wasn’t possible because of the winds.”
Killer whales are the largest members of the dolphin family, weighing up to 6 tons and being roughly the size of a school bus. They are distinguished by their black-and-white colors.
Orcas do not usually pose a threat to humans; according to BBC Wildlife, there have been no documented reports of wild, free-roaming orcas attacking humans on purpose.
Additionally, The name ‘killer whale’ derives from ‘killers of whales’, not killers of people.
