Racing yachts had a close encounter with a pod of orcas near the Strait of Gibraltar, race officials say.
Crew members aboard a rival pair of 65-foot yachts were on the final leg of The Ocean Race, an around-the-world sailing competition, when they reported being intercepted by killer whales as their boats approached the Strait of Gibraltar, which connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea, separating Europe from Africa.
"Three orcas came at us -- straight at us -- and started hitting the rudders," Team JAJO skipper Jelmer van Beek said in the video, after the incident. "Impressive to see the orcas, first of all. Beautiful animal, but also dangerous moment for us as a team. Two sixty-five-foot race yachts had a close encounter with orca whales as they approached the Strait of Gibraltar during the final leg of the Ocean Race Vo65 Sprint Cup, the Ocean Race said in a release on June 22, 2023.The Mirpuri/Trifork Racing Team also reported having an encounter with the same killer whale pod. Both teams subsequently contacted race control to confirm there had been no injuries among their crew and no damage to their boats, according to a press release from The Ocean Race.
It was the latest such episode reported between vessels and the orcas populating the northeastern Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of the Iberian Peninsula. The behavior appears to have become a trend in recent months and has baffled researchers.
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