Rabat – Orcas have reportedly attacked a Polish yacht, leading it to its sinking at the entrance of Morocco’s Tanger Med port.
US-based news outlet Insider said that the Orcas, also known as the killer whales, attacked the yacht on October 31 when a pod targeted the “Grazie Mamma II” yacht.
Quoting Polish touring company Morskie Mile, Insider said that the orcas attacked the boat’s steering fin for 45 minutes, causing “major damage.”
The company announced that the crew is safe, but added that the boat sank at the entrance to the Tangier port.
This is not the first time that orcas attack boats off the coast of Morocco.
Earlier this year in May, reports said that a British couple lived a moment from a nightmare off the coast of Morocco when their boat was attacked by a pod of at least six orcas.
The pod persisted for a nerve-wracking hour, the reports said.
“We all remained calm because we were aware that if any of us got anxious, it would be infectious,” one of the couples told the Daily Mail.
Scientists have attempted to understand the reason behind orcas’ attacks on boats.
One of the potential reasons is a post-traumatic response or just having a bit of fun, “such as when a pod of orcas in the Pacific Northwest spent several weeks swimming with dead salmon balanced on their heads,” the news outlet added.
According to American Oceans, orcas are not known to attack humans in the wild, but there have been a few cases of killer whales attacking their trainers.
“Most orca attacks on humans occur when the animals are in captivity, and the incidents are usually attributed to stress and frustration,” the source added.
