Whales have been observed attacking and sinking boats in southwestern Europe, swimming around a vessel off the coast of Spain, hundreds of miles away from their usual habitat. Scientists are puzzled as to why this is happening.
These whales, which have been attacking boats in southwestern Europe since 2020, were recently spotted circling a ship in Spain for the first time this year. The encounter occurred hundreds of miles from their known location, suggesting that this group is changing its tactics, and scientists are unsure of the reasons behind this behavior.
A group of whales has been lurking and attacking boats around the Iberian Peninsula since 2020. (Photo: Jackson Roberts).
Whale Attacks on Boats
The Iberian Orca Population (Orcinus orca) is a small group of about 40 individuals living off the coasts of Spain and Portugal, as well as in the Strait of Gibraltar—a narrow body of water between southern Spain and North Africa that separates the Atlantic Ocean from the Mediterranean Sea.
Since 2020, these whales have approached and occasionally attacked boats, sometimes causing severe damage and even sinking them. The most recent sinking incident occurred on October 31, 2023, but the whales have pushed at least three other boats to the seabed. Fortunately, no injuries or fatalities have been reported.
On April 10, three of these whales were observed swimming closely to a large yacht off the coast of Malpica in Galicia, northern Spain. This trio did not attack the vessel, but the local conservation group Orca Ibérica GTOA, which closely monitors the Iberian population, has warned boaters to exercise caution in the area.
The Spanish science news website Ciencia reported that this encounter was surprising because whales typically do not venture far north until mid to late summer.
So far, the whales have not attacked any boats. However, López Fernandez believes that this may begin in the coming months. He expressed that it is difficult to predict when and where these encounters will occur.
Why Are Whales Attacking Boats?
Scientists are still unsure of the exact reasons behind these attacks. Some researchers believe that the initial attacks may have been initiated by a lone female whale named “White Gladis”, which may have been pregnant when she started harassing boats. Regardless of how it began, this behavior quickly spread within the group.
To date, at least 16 whales have attacked boats. Witnesses have also claimed to have seen whales teaching other individuals how to attack boats, focusing on striking the vessel’s rudder.
As the number of attacks increases, boat owners have started using flares and even firearms to deter the whales. However, scientists like López Fernandez have urged restraint in actions against the whales, as this population is at risk of extinction.
