A French family of five was rescued after their sailing yacht sank off the coast of Portugal following an orcas attack, Mirror reported.
The Portuguese military received a distress call on Friday from the yacht Ti’fare, approximately 50 nautical miles off Peniche. The French-flagged 36ft vessel carried three children, aged eight, 10, and 12, along with their parents. Orcas struck its rudder, causing the vessel to take on water.
The family boarded their life raft and were rescued by the fishing vessel Silmar. The Portuguese Air Force deployed a Merlin helicopter from Montijo to bring them ashore.
This is the second recent sinking linked to orcas attack in the region. Earlier this month, a yacht near Fonte de Telha sank after similar rudder strikes, and another nearby yacht was evacuated.
Orca specialists indicate that these incidents target slow-moving sailing yachts with large rudders and are not directed at humans. The animals appear to repeat the behavior as a form of play. Spanish marine authorities reported two further yacht interactions over the weekend near Cabo Villano.
