A BRITISH yachtsman has posted a video of his boat sinking after being attacked by orcas at the ‘White Gladis’ hunting ground.
Robert Powell and two other occupants of the Bonhomme William had to be rescued by the coast guard after their ship capsized in the Strait of Gibraltar.
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The orcas are said to have disabled the yacht’s steering, tipping the boat over and entering the water.
The London-based managing director showed his yacht sinking at sea in distressing social media posts.
Powell said: “Bonhomme William, my beautiful boat, was sunk off the coast of Spain.”
“It was attacked at 8pm by a group of five orcas.”
He told worried friends in a subsequent message: “We were all rescued and are safe now.”
The attack may have come from a notorious pod of whales led by an orca nicknamed “White Gladis” – which is believed to have been attacking sailors for at least three years.
Orca attacks on boats traveling through the Strait of Gibraltar – also known as Orca Alley – were first reported in 2020.
Responding to recent claims by scientists that orcas are targeting yachts and playing games, Powell said: “Unfortunately, these orcas were not playing.
“It was a well-orchestrated and organized attack to sink my ship.”
A spokesperson for the Spanish Coast Guard Service said: “Last night, a yacht, a sailboat called Bonhomme William, which was three kilometers off Cape Camarinal, between Tarifa and Barbate, reported that after interacting with orcas, she needed to be towed because its steering system was inoperative.
“The captain added that the three people on board were fine and the vessel was not taking on water.
“Our Tarifa center mobilized the coast guard ship Salvamar Enif.
“The sailboat then called again to report that the orcas were still interacting and were now entering the water.
“The crew were informed that help was on the way and to prepare the water pump.
“Salvamar Enif reported when he was close to the position of the other vessel that he saw two flares in the area followed by a parachute flare.
“On arrival it was reported that the lifeboat had been thrown into the water and the yacht had lost the waterline.
“The Salvamar Enif crew rescued the three people on board and reported that they were all fine.
“He collected polluting liquids, radio beacon, pyrotechnics and life raft before confirming that the sailboat was sinking and headed towards Barbate with the three rescued people.”
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